Perceptions of Iranian Medical Students on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Curricular Integration

Teaching medical students about AI's role in medicine is crucial for equipping future healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to leverage advanced technologies for improved diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. This study investigates the perceptions of Iranian medical students regarding the role of artificial intelligence in the future of healthcare and its integration into their curricula. A total of 371 medical students, recruited through online forums and snowball sampling, participated in an online survey. Among the respondents, 208 were female, and 163 were male. The findings revealed that the majority of participants believed AI would have a transformative impact on the medical profession in the future. However, the students expressed dissatisfaction with the current level of AI-related education in their medical curricula, emphasizing its insufficiency for adequately preparing them to leverage AI technologies in their future careers. Furthermore, respondents highlighted the age of faculty members as a significant barrier, suggesting that older professors may struggle to adapt to new communication technologies, thereby hindering effective AI integration. The respondents emphasized the need for Iranian medical schools to modernize their curricula and equip both students and educators with the skills and knowledge required to work in an AI-driven healthcare landscape.