AI Readiness in Medical Education: Attitudes and Needs of Medical Students

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being increasingly integrated into healthcare; however, medical students’ knowledge and preparedness for AI remain limited. Understanding their attitudes and educational needs is essential for curriculum development.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2026 among 305 medical students. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and the General Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Scale. Statistical analyses included independent samples t tests, one-way ANOVA, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

Results

Only 13.4% of the students reported prior AI education, whereas 80.7% supported its inclusion in the medical curriculum. Positive attitude scores were significantly higher among students who had received AI education and those with higher levels of AI use (p < 0.001). AI usage level had a significant multivariate effect on overall attitude scores, primarily driven by positive attitudes. Negative attitudes did not significantly differ across most variables; however, the fear of AI replacing physicians was significantly associated with higher negative attitude scores (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

There is a clear gap between current medical education and students’ expectations regarding AI. Integrating structured AI training into medical curricula—covering ethics, data security, and clinical applications—is essential to prepare future physicians for the evolving digital healthcare landscape.

Key messages

• Medical students show high interest in AI but lack formal education, indicating a gap in current medical training.

• Integrating structured training on ethics, data security, and clinical use is essential to prepare future physicians for digital healthcare.