Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare education and practice, making it essential for nursing and health sciences students to develop relevant competencies. However, their preparedness to engage meaningfully with AI in academic and clinical environments remains uncertain. Objectives This systematic review synthesizes global evidence on the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers (KAPB) related to AI among students in nursing, medicine, pharmacy, and allied health disciplines. Methods Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed articles published between January 2020 and February 2025. Fourteen studies meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed using narrative synthesis. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were included. The review protocol was not registered. Results Students generally demonstrated high awareness of AI, but formal training was limited. Knowledge was often acquired informally through social media or peer networks. While attitudes toward AI were largely positive, students expressed ethical concerns and anxiety related to AI use. Practical engagement with AI was mostly restricted to academic writing tasks, with minimal clinical application. Major barriers included the absence of AI-focused curricula, limited faculty expertise, inadequate infrastructure, and concerns over data privacy, ethics, and job displacement. Conclusion Despite growing interest in AI, significant gaps remain in health sciences education. Comprehensive strategies such as curriculum integration, faculty development, and ethical training are urgently needed to foster responsible, confident, and clinically relevant AI adoption among future healthcare professionals.
Alqaissi et al. (2025) studied this question.