What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to evaluate medical students' awareness, attitudes, and usage of AI in medical education.

April 3, 2026BMC Medical Education0 citationsOpen Access

Awareness, attitudes, and educational use of artificial intelligence among medical students: a large cross-sectional survey

AKAli Veysel KaraDicle University HHHatice Harmancı YYYusuf YılmazErzincan Binali Yıldırım University

Key Points

This research aims to evaluate medical students' awareness, attitudes, and usage of AI in medical education.
Nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted among undergraduate medical students in Türkiye from November to December 2025.
Structured questionnaire used to assess demographic data, AI awareness, usage patterns, attitudes, and ethical concerns.
Composite AI Attitude Score calculated using three Likert-scale items and internal consistency evaluated via Cronbach’s alpha.
Statistical analyses, both descriptive and inferential, applied to the data from 1,346 participants.
81.1% of medical students reported awareness of AI applications in medicine.
73.3% used AI tools primarily for educational purposes; only 11.6% for clinical use.
Mean composite AI Attitude Score was 3.41, indicating moderately positive attitudes, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.71.
67.4% reported ethical concerns regarding AI in medicine; 79.1% wanted formal AI-related education.
Clinical students showed significantly greater usage of AI in clinical settings compared to preclinical students.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing medical education and clinical practice. Understanding medical students’ awareness, attitudes, and usage patterns of AI is essential for guiding curriculum development and ensuring responsible integration into undergraduate medical training. A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted between November and December 2025 among undergraduate medical students in Türkiye. A structured questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics, AI awareness and frequency of use, educational and clinical applications, attitudes toward AI, ethical concerns, and future educational expectations. A composite AI Attitude Score was calculated using three Likert-scale items, and internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. A total of 1,346 medical students were included. Overall, 81.1% reported awareness of AI applications in medicine. AI tools were predominantly used for educational purposes (73.3%), whereas clinical or simulation-based use was limited (11.6%). The mean composite AI Attitude Score was 3.41 ± 0.61, indicating moderately positive perceptions (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.71). Ethical concerns were reported by 67.4% of participants. A majority (79.1%) expressed interest in receiving formal AI-related education. No significant differences were observed between preclinical and clinical students in overall attitudes or educational demand; however, clinical students reported significantly greater use of AI in clinical contexts (p < 0.001). Medical students demonstrate high awareness and generally positive attitudes toward AI; however, clinical integration remains limited and ethical concerns are prevalent. These findings underscore the need for structured, ethically grounded AI education within undergraduate medical curricula. Findings should be interpreted with consideration of potential self-selection bias due to voluntary online participitation.

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