Investigation of medical students’ perceptions of AI and its influence on their preference for the radiology specialty

Abstract

Background

The applications of AI have recently witnessed a significant improvement, including in several industries, such as healthcare. Despite the increased potential of AI applications in the radiology field, there are misconceptions about AI's abilities and their role in radiology. There is a common belief that AI applications will replace the radiologists/doctors due to their advanced ability in detecting lesions in medical imaging.

Material and methods

An online survey was designed utilizing QuestionPro software to evaluate the impact of AI on medical students’ preferences for the radiology specialty. The questionnaire consisted of 19 questions, including multiple choice, Likert scale items, true/false questions, and narrative questions for additional comments. A total of 198 responses were received from the three colleges. The participants included 122 males (61.6 %) and 76 females (38.4 %).

Results

About 53 % of the respondents who considered radiology their first choice agreed with the anxiety statement. Moreover, the percentage of agreement with the statement increased dramatically for those participants in the lower-choice rank. The percentage agreement with the anxiety statement was 56 % for those who selected radiology as their second choice and 69 % for those who made it their third choice.

Conclusion

The anxiety of medical students who pursue the radiology specialty is affected by the potential influence of AI in the field. Enhancing the educational background of medical students about AI in the radiology field, such as incorporating AI topics into the curriculum, could encourage students to select radiology as a future specialty, work collaboratively with AI technology, and reduce the anxiety of medical students.