Journal Article

Integrating artificial intelligence into medical education: a narrative systematic review of current applications, challenges, and future directions

Ahsan, Zeeshan

2025

Overview

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping both healthcare delivery and the structure of medical education. This narrative review synthesizes insights from 14 studies exploring how AI is being integrated into undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing medical education programs. The evidence highlights a wide range of applications, including diagnostic assistance, curriculum redesign, enhanced assessment methods, and streamlined administrative tasks. Nevertheless, several challenges persist—such as ethical dilemmas, the lack of validated curricula, limited empirical research, and infrastructural constraints—that hinder broader implementation. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (ID: 1109025), and the review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The findings emphasize the need for well-structured AI curricula, targeted faculty development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethically sound practices. To promote sustainable and equitable adoption, the review advocates for a phased, learner-centered approach tailored to the evolving demands of medical education.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Active Learning / AI ethics / Algorithms / Artificial Intelligence / Artificial intelligence ethics / Artificial intelligence literacy / Automation / Barriers / Bias / Case Studies / Check Lists / Citation management software / Compliance (Legal) / Content analysis / Curriculum / Curriculum Design / Curriculum development / Database Management Systems / Decision Support Systems / Diagnostic simulation / Digital literacy / Education / Education, Medical - methods / Education, Medical - trends / Educational Assessment / Educational Change / Educational Methods / Educational Objectives / Educational research / Educational Strategies / Effect Size / Elective Courses / English (Second Language) / Ethical Instruction / Ethics / Feedback (Response) / Goal Orientation / Governance / Humans / Inclusion / Individualized Instruction / Influence of Technology / Information Seeking / Innovation / Instructional design / Intervention / Language Processing / Literacy / Machine learning / Medical Education / Medical Students / Meta Analysis / Methods / Mixed Methods Research / Professional development / Systematic review / Teaching / Technology application / Theory of Medicine/Bioethics