Exploring Undergraduate Medical Students' Perspectives towards Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: A Qualitative Study from India.

Introduction: The term "artificial intelligence (AI)" refers to the development of systems that possess intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discern meaning, generalize, and learn from experience. This study aimed to provide an overview of medical students' knowledge, perceptions, and concerns about AI in healthcare.

Methods: This study utilized a qualitative approach, employing semi-structured interviews in focus groups of medical undergraduates to explore their perceptions, knowledge, and concerns about AI in healthcare. The interviews complied with the standards for reporting qualitative research set by the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Seven focus groups were formed, with an average size of 8-10 participants per group. Each group was diverse in terms of sex and year of study.

Results: 156 participants responded to the survey, of whom 124 completed the questionnaires. Sixty-six undergraduate medical students consented to attend in-person focus groups for discussions. Four major themes are the advantages of AI in healthcare, education, and training in AI, future implications of AI, and ethical concerns, and sixteen subthemes emerged from this study's data analysis. Most students (57.7%) believed that artificial intelligence (AI) should be integrated into medical education. A substantial proportion (42.2%) of medical students demonstrated varying knowledge regarding the advantages of AI in healthcare. A significant number of students, 37.8%, articulated concerns regarding the future implications of AI; a minority of students, 22.7%, expressed ethical concerns regarding biases, privacy issues, security risks, and unequal access.

Conclusions: Medical students generally view AI positively, recognizing its benefits in diagnosis and treatment. Many emphasized the need to integrate AI into medical education to prepare for future changes in healthcare. Future research should focus on developing evidence-based training programs and strategies to tackle these issues.