Abstract
BACKGROUND: Educators have called for training in artificial intelligence (AI) in medical education given its certain impact on the future of healthcare. However, there is no consensus regarding how to introduce AI into medical education and little is known about how AI is viewed among medical trainees. In an effort to inform the development of medical education curricula on AI, this study explores perceptions of resident physicians regarding AI in healthcare and its possible impact on their future practice. METHODS: The authors conducted focus groups with resident physicians across multiple specialties in 2018-2019. Residents were invited to voluntarily participate during pre-existing conference times. Interview transcripts were coded iteratively, and coded data was clustered into categories and themes to capture resident perceptions on AI. RESULTS: Fifty-six residents from emergency medicine, internal medicine, pathology, pediatrics, and radiology participated in six separate focus groups. Conversations generated the following five overarching themes: healthcare is transforming, AI has a role at the clinical and systems level, concern for lack of agency in the development and implementation of AI, AI presents potential harms and uncertainties, and enduring roles of the physician: humanism, judgment, and responsibility. CONCLUSION: Residents described humanistic roles that should not be replaced by technology and voiced concerns that physicians lack agency to influence how AI will be used in healthcare. Medical education should explore humanistic and ethical challenges related to AI, provide a foundational understanding of AI technology, and offer opportunities for participation in the development of AI technology when possible.