Towards bridging the gap between pre-medicine student artificial intelligence technologies capabilities and their future medical practices.

Authors

Keywords:

artificial intelligence, pre-medicine undergraduate students, career-readiness

Abstract

SUBTHEME: Modes of learning

 

PROBLEM

 

In recent years, the healthcare industry has witnessed a rapid integration of artificial intelligence technologies (AI-Ts) as they provide a wide variety of benefits (Baddal, Taner & Ozsahin, 2024). “Future physicians will need a broad range of skills to adequately use AI in clinical practice” (Paranjape, Schinkel, Nannan Panday, Car & Nanayakkara, 2019, pe16048). Thus, it is imperative we develop an understanding of key stakeholder capabilities to ensure effective training of future medical practitioners in the AI-Ts space. Currently whilst there is willingness there is lack of sufficient understanding or supportive education (AlZaabi, AlMaskari & AalAbdulsalam, 2023).

 

PLAN

 

We planned to benchmark the perceptions, understanding and expectations of rural medical pathway stakeholders (pre-medicine undergraduate students, academics, medical practitioners in university-affiliated rural hospitals) regarding AI-Ts in current and future medical practice. Knowledges gained would allow for modification of medical training, provision of targeted professional development for academic staff and mechanisms for better AI-T solutions in rural medical practice in the future.

 

ACTION

 

Initial work from a collaborative research project has identified these different stakeholder knowledges and has prototyped educational opportunities to better support pre-medicine undergraduate capabilities to support and develop AI-T solutions for rural health care in their future career pathway.

 

REFLECTION

 

There remains much work to do in this space but the rapid changes to AI-Ts will change how our future medical practice. There is an urgent need to ensure that appropriate training, collaboration and distributed leadership capabilities are developed in our future medical practitioners.

 

REFERENCES

 

AlZaabi, A., AlMaskari, S., & AalAbdulsalam A. (2023) Are physicians and medical students ready for artificial intelligence applications in healthcare? Digit Health, 9:20552076231152167. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231152167.

Baddal, B., Taner, F., & Ozsahin, D. U. (2024). Harnessing of artificial intelligence for the diagnosis and prevention of hospital-acquired infections: A systematic review. Diagnostics, 14(5), 484. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14050484.

Paranjape, K., Schinkel, M., Nannan Panday, R., Car, J., & Nanayakkara, P. (2019). Introducing artificial intelligence training in medical education. Journal of Medical Internet Research Medical Education, 5(2): e16048. https://doi.org/10.2196/16048.

 

Proceedings of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, The University of Canberra, 18 – 19 September 2024, page X, ISSN Number TBA.

Author Biographies

  • M.Sarah-Jane Gregory, Central Queensland University

    I am a passionate educator with 25+ years experience supporting the next generation of future doctors and science/health professionals in Queensland. I holistically integrate the various aspects of my academic work to complement and augment each other.

    My Higher Education discipline expertise includes metabolic and clinical biochemistry, laboratories, human biology, immunology and clinical pathology. I appreciate learning needs diversity and my student-centred approach combines modelling active learning strategies, building student learning partnerships and stimulating curiosity through facilitated autonomous learning, critical evaluation and transferable application to real-world context.

    My leadership in the Scholarship of Learning and Teaching has been recognised with awards; at National, University and Faculty University levels, and research grants at university and national level. Initially my career research focused on the role of thioredoxin in embryo development. Post-maternity leave, I transitioned to scholarly research and have recently had my doctoral thesis conferred. My thesis was exploring the lived experiences of undergraduate science students during the 2nd year of their academic program of study.

    My research augments my teaching areas and service profile enabling my support of students' learning journeys developing senses of purpose and community; creating balanced, capable and adaptable individuals.

  • Siska Dupont Berry, Central Queensland University, CM17 Pathway to Medicine Course

    Siska Dupont Berry is a third-year student of the Regional Medical Pathway (RMP) due to complete a Bachelor of Medical Science in October 2024. Siska’s passion for regional healthcare has only continued to grow following her selection to be the student representative on the CQUniverity Regional Medical Pathway advisory group, the Academic board, and Student Representative Council. As a student researcher in this project, Siska is investigating the perspectives of RMP students compared to medical professional towards clinical Artificial Intelligence. In addition, Siska is also active in supporting her local Bundaberg community, as evidenced by her involvement with the Vacseen project and position on as a board member of the Regional Housing Committee for youth homelessness. Finally, for the last two years, Siska has been working as a mentor and university peer tutor. With her diverse experiences, academic achievements, and community engagement, Siska makes a promising candidate for future research and healthcare endeavours. 

  • Alfred Dai

    Alfred Dai is a pre-medical student in Medical Science Pathway to Medicine (CM17) currently pursuing his final undergraduate year at Central Queensland University. In addition to his medical studies, Alfred has cultivated a strong interest in computer science, data analysis and medical research especially in systems programming and machine learning. Alfred is currently engaged in several other research projects including two systematic reviews. Beyond academics, Alfred is a founding member and co-president of a new MedTech club that focuses on teaching clinical and practical skills to pre-medical, nursing and other healthcare students at CQU. Looking forward, he aims to integrate his medical training with machine learning and deep learning techniques to contribute to data-driven healthcare and medical research. 

  • W.Darcy Barlow

    Darcy Barlow is a third-year pre-medical student in the CM17 Bachelor of Medical Science (Pathway to Medicine) program. Entering the Regional Medical Pathway (RMP) directly from high school, Darcy has actively promoted the program by engaging with prospective students and families, sharing the exciting future of medical education in Bundaberg.

     As the founding Vice President of the CQU Medical Society (2022-2023), Darcy contributed to establishing a vibrant student community within the developing regional program. To further promote student engagement and socialization in the area, he joined Towards Rural and Outback Health Professionals in Queensland (TROHPIQ) as the Wide Bay region social coordinator in 2024. Darcy has contributed towards supporting the health of the local Bundaberg community, volunteering for the VacSeen Project to deliver vaccinations to disadvantaged populations in the region. 

     Darcy has a strong interest in emerging technologies and medical education. His current research project marks his first venture into academic research, where he has developed essential research skills and contributed a student perspective to the project's development and its future implications for medical education.

  • Ethan Cao-Lee, Central Queensland University, CM17 Pathway to Medicine Course

    Ethan Cao-Lee is studying CM17 Bachelor of Medical Science Pathway to Medicine as part of University’s Reginal Medical Pathway. This will be his third year.

    He has worked as the sponsorship and events coordinator for the CQU Medical Society in 2024 to provide students a study and social life balance. In one event that he is currently supporting medical students and lecturers from Rockhampton and Bundaberg are coming together to interact outside of classes.

    Ethan’s first research project combines his interests of technology and medicine. He is also interested in how the general public thinks about such emerging technologies.

  • Anna Balzer, Central Queensland University

    Anna Balzer holds a PhD in medical science, GDSC (Chem), and BSc(Hons). She has partially completed a Certificate III Training and Assessment with one cluster remaining.  She is currently teaching into the CM17 program in units including Professional Practice in Medical Sciences, Molecular Cell Biology, Medical Anatomy & Physiology 1 and 2. Anna is currently undertaking a research project using thematic analysis of reflective journals of students undertaking observational placement to better understand their experiences and challenges on their placements.

  • Romeo Batacan, Central Queensland University

    Dr Romeo Batacan Jr is a medical doctor with a PhD in Biomedical Science. He has several publications in the areas of physical activity, cardiometabolic syndrome and gut microbiota. He is a member of the Stanley Research Group (Microbial Genomics Cluster) and a Fellow of Advanced Higher Education (UK). He currently serves as the Discipline Lead for Student Admission and Selection for the CM17 Bachelor of Medical Science (Pathway to Medicine) course. He has provided leadership in CQUniversity's admissions processes for this course and has led the Multiple Mini Interviews in Bundaberg since their inception in 2017. Additionally, he is a member of the RMP Research and Evaluation Work Group, which oversees all research and evaluation activities within the RMP. This group focuses on strategic research priorities related to selection mechanisms and outcomes of the RMP, attraction to and expectations of the RMP, stakeholder and community perceptions of the RMP, and ongoing evaluations of RMP students.

  • Suzzane Burgess, Central Queensland University

    Sue Burgess holds a Bachelor of Science, Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology (Honours 1st) and recently completed a Graduate Certificate, Tertiary and Adult Education. She has extensive hospital clinical experience as a Scientist and brings insight into the diagnostic process of a busy hospital laboratory facility. Her skills include strengths in laboratory automation, medicine, equipment and safety along with knowledges associated with digital education. Sue is a Bundaberg-based core academic in the CM17 program teaching into BMSC11005 Foundations of Biochemistry.

  • Roslyn Clapperton, Central Queensland University

    Roslyn Clapperton holds a Bachelor of Sports and Exercise Science and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of the Sunshine Coast. She is currently completing her Doctor of Philosophy at QUT in exercise physiology. Roslyn is also an accredited exercise physiologist who works in cardiac care at the Rockhampton Base Hospital. Roslyn holds a fellowship with the Higher Education Academy and is involved in a multidisciplinary Learning and Teaching research team that was successful in securing LTRD grant funding to explore the use of an app to engage nursing students in bioscience terminology. This team has so far published two papers, attended conferences and the CQUniversity Retention Community of Practice to disseminate research. 

  • Andrew Fenning, Central Queensland University

    Dr Fenning is Head of Course for Bachelor of Medical Science Pathway to Medicine (CM17) and coordinates two Units within the course, BMSC12010 Clinical Biochemistry (2nd level) and BMSC13010 Pharmacology (3rd level).  Dr Fenning is encouraging the core CM17 academic team to develop research projects and produce publication outputs in learning and teaching pedagogy, course and unit design, evaluation of student performance and delivery practice and student learning.  Dr Fenning has over 60 peer reviewed discipline specific research publications and has supervised 15 PhD students as primary advisor.  Dr Fenning also holds a Graduate Certificate in Flexible Learning (GCHE equivalent).

  • Maddie Higgins, Central Queensland University

    Maddie Higgins holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science from the University of the Sunshine Coast, a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science, and a Master of Science by Research in Clinical and Molecular Microbiology from Griffith University. Upon completing her master’s research, Maddie worked in the healthcare sector before commencing her PhD at the University of Queensland’s Rural Clinical School through a Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship. Maddie’s research focuses on improving access to healthcare in regional, rural, and remote Australian communities. Maddie is a strong advocate for quality healthcare and is a Consumer Representative on the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS) Consumer Partnership Group and the WBHHS Research Council. Maddie is also Chair of the WBHHS Research Council Advisory Group, where she works to enable consumers to have a voice in the planning, implementation and evaluation of health policy, programs, and services to achieve better health outcomes. Maddie is a full-time lecturer at CQUniversity including Discipline Lead for Clinical Physiology.

  • Emma Hodge, Wide Bay Public Health Unit

    Dr Emma Hodge is the Medical Education and Wellbeing Registrar for the Regional Medical Pathway (RMP), primarily based at Bundaberg Hospital. With a strong passion for medical education, she has been instrumental in growing the RMP including the implementation of novel wellbeing initiatives. In addition to her medical degree, she has a Master of Public Health, as well as a Master of Human Nutrition, along with several first author international journal publications related to public health and medical education. Emma has previously published secondary school textbooks and recently presented at several medical conferences, with multiple awards for medical research projects. She is also an associate lecturer at UQ and teaches medical students on public health, nutrition, ethics, medical law and professionalism. Emma is the AMAQ Wellbeing Chair for the Committee of Doctors in Training and is currently completing specialist training in medical administration through RACMA.

  • Charmaine Ramlogan-Steel, Central Queensland University

    Dr Charmaine Ramlogan-Steel, MD, FHEA is the Head of Course for Bachelor of Medical Science (CG93) and a medically trained academic within the School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences. Charmaine has over 20 years research experience in Medicine and the Medical Sciences, including post-doctoral fellowships at The National Institutes of Health (NIH) USA, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine USA, and University of Queensland and has produced numerous discipline specific publications.  Charmaine leads the teaching teams of 3 units in the Pathway to Medicine course, BMSC11007 Medical Anatomy & Physiology 1 (1st year), BMSC11008 Medical Anatomy & Physiology 2 (1st year) and BMSC13023 Applied Immunology (3rd Year) and is actively involved in the supervision of Research Higher Degree Students.  She has been a recipient of the CQU Vice Chancellor’s Award for Learning and Teaching for developing innovative visual and video resources to provide accessible tools for medical and allied health students in Anatomy and Physiology. Charmaine continues to have interest in academic integrity, factors surrounding its breaches and evidence- based recommendations to approach these issues for Pathway to Medicine and Allied Health disciplines.

  • Alannah van Waveren, Central Queensland University

    Alannah van Waveren holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Hons), PhD in modern risk factors of cardiovascular disease and a graduate certificate in tertiary and adult education. She has long term experience in teaching clinical sciences, who has recently joined the Rockhampton campus Pathway to Medicine team. Alannah's expertise lies in the intersection of medical science, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, having taught units such as neurological physiology, cardiorespiratory physiology, and measurement, anatomy and physiology and immunology units. Alannah has a commitment to continuous learning and a track record of mentoring students and colleagues and is wanting to further the student experience by undertaking research to enhance understanding from the student perspective. Alannah currently holds the role of lecturer and discipline lead of regional medical pathway delivery for Rockhampton.

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Published

2024-09-09

Issue

Proceedings of The Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education (2024)

Section

Abstracts