Educators in Medicine,
In this newsletter, we continue our journey through the fundamentals of AI, its applications in medicine, and its transformative role in faculty development and education. Let’s dive into learning.
Reflections from the AAFP National Conference: AI and Family Medicine
Attending the AAFP National Conference this month was a deeply rewarding experience. Beyond the invaluable networking opportunities, connecting with old friends and pitching our new residency program, I had the privilege to speak on three separate occasions about AI's evolving role in healthcare. The rooms were filled with residents, students, and faculty, each eager to explore the potential of AI to reshape medicine.
One of the most engaging sessions was a faculty development workshop for the STFM Emerging Leaders Fellowship, where we delved into how AI could be harnessed to enhance their careers in medical education. The energy and curiosity in these discussions were a testament to the growing interest in AI across all levels of our profession.
During the workshop, we started with a short intro to AI. I was not sure what scaffolding attendees had, so I began with overviews. Once this was established, we got into live demonstrations of ChatGPT. If you’ve been reading this blog, many of those demonstrations are familiar to you.
We shifted gears to speak on leadership. I used the book The Leadership Challenge as my guiding principle, hitting 5 principles of leadership for the fellows.
Then the fun started. We broke out into small groups for the second half of our time together. 3 groups has 3 separate exercises to work on with scenarios they would encounter as academic physicians. They were tasked to work through scenarios as a group, leveraging chatgpt, and finding solutions to present to the larger class. Groups were about 4 people in size, and the discussions were fantastic.
Want to emulate the workshop? Download this!
AI 101 - A Primer on Artificial Intelligence
Generative AI in Cybersecurity and Data Analysis
With the IT outage this summer that impacted so many businesses and airports, I’ve been thinking more about how AI can be leveraged to solve these problems faster. In a recent GovCIO Media article, they discuss AI’s role in cybersecurity and data analysis.
Generative AI's ability to sift through massive datasets and identify patterns that might elude human analysts is nothing short of revolutionary. In the context of healthcare, this capability could translate into more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment plans, and even the safeguarding of sensitive patient information.
I wonder if this will help with EMR downtime too one day? We can hope…
AI in Education
Do We Need AI Chiefs in Health Systems?
Another topic that sparked considerable debate, both at the conference and in Becker's Hospital Review, is whether health systems need to appoint AI Chiefs. People frequently ask me “How can we stay up to date on the happenings?” I tell them, 1st subscribe to this blog, and then 2nd (likely more importantly) appoint someone to keep you updated in your group/department! The argument for this role is compelling—an AI Chief could provide the leadership necessary to integrate AI tools effectively, ensuring that these technologies are used to their fullest potential while mitigating risks.
We shared an article recently supporting it, but some argue that AI expertise should be distributed across departments rather than centralized in a single role. At the AAFP sessions, we explored these perspectives, considering factors like the size of the health system, existing technological infrastructure, and the level of AI integration already in place. Ultimately, whether or not to appoint an AI Chief may depend on the specific needs and goals of each organization.
The Role of AI in Diagnostic Radiology
Application of AI in diagnostic radiology, as highlighted in MedPage Today, illustrates both the promise and the challenges of AI in clinical practice. AI's ability to assist radiologists by identifying subtle anomalies that might be missed by human eyes is a game-changer. However, we see again the fine line between assistance and over-reliance. They claim that AI models are as effective as radiologists in catching prostate cancer. I wonder when they will publish an article about humans being better…seems to be a bit of a publication bias in my reading lately
At the conference, this topic led to robust discussions about the importance of maintaining a balance—leveraging AI to enhance diagnostic accuracy while ensuring that clinicians remain at the forefront of decision-making. The consensus was: AI is a powerful tool, but it must be used judiciously, with proper oversight and continual evaluation to avoid pitfalls.
PLEASE keep an eye out for our next episode. If you care about board licensing exams (I know you all care about those) you’ll enjoy it tremendously.
As always - get in touch and let me know your thoughts!
Thank you for joining us on this adventure. Stay tuned for more AI insights, best practices, and more future editions of AI+MedEd.
For education and innovation,
Karim
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