Future healthcare professionals curious but unprepared for AI and robotics integration

A new study shows a widening gap between healthcare students’ enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics (R) and the lack of formal training to prepare them for its use in patient care.

Published in International Medical Education, the study titled Curious but Unprepared: Healthcare Students’ Perspectives on AI and Robotics in Care and the Need for Curriculum Reform stresses the urgent need for education reform to equip future healthcare professionals with the skills required for a rapidly digitizing sector.

Why healthcare students feel unprepared for AI and robotics

The survey, conducted in 2023 with 1,221 healthcare undergraduates in Vietnam, found that nearly nine in ten students had heard of AI and robotics in healthcare and expressed strong interest in these technologies. Despite this enthusiasm, only 5.9 percent of respondents reported receiving any formal training. The overwhelming majority, close to 90 percent, indicated a clear need for structured AI and robotics education.

This mismatch between interest and training reflects the broader reality in many low- and middle-income countries, where infrastructure and educational frameworks have not kept pace with the technological transformation of healthcare. While developed countries have begun incorporating AI-related content into medical curricula, students in developing contexts continue to rely on fragmented or informal sources of knowledge.

The authors note that Vietnamese students, in particular, are aware of how AI and robotics could transform healthcare delivery, especially in elderly care. Yet the absence of structured curricula and outcome-based training means they are entering the profession without the skills required to responsibly apply these technologies.

What students see as benefits and risks

The study reveals that healthcare students recognize multiple benefits of AI and robotics in clinical practice. Among the most widely acknowledged advantages were improved synchronization of patient data across systems, reduced workload for medical staff, and the delivery of multiple healthcare benefits. Students also expressed confidence that AI could shorten waiting times, support diagnosis, and perform basic procedures, thereby freeing medical professionals to focus on complex tasks.

However, enthusiasm was tempered by concerns. Students identified risks surrounding data privacy and patient confidentiality, reflecting wider anxieties about cybersecurity in digital health. Many were also wary of becoming overly dependent on automated tools, which could erode professional autonomy. Another significant concern was the potential displacement of medical staff by AI or robotic systems.

Despite these apprehensions, the study found that students consistently rated the benefits of AI and robotics higher than the risks. This balance reflects a pragmatic optimism among healthcare undergraduates: while they remain cautious about ethical and professional challenges, they also see these technologies as essential to meeting modern healthcare demands.

Which factors influence training needs and attitudes

The analysis identified several key factors shaping students’ readiness to engage with AI and robotics. Students who had prior awareness of AI, or who planned to study abroad, showed higher levels of interest and training needs compared with peers who lacked international exposure. Academic performance also played a role: higher grade point averages correlated with stronger interest in conducting AI-related research. Similarly, students with higher self-esteem were more inclined to pursue research and engage deeply with AI applications.

Interestingly, demographic characteristics such as gender, year of study, or family income showed no significant correlation with attitudes toward AI and robotics. This suggests that enthusiasm and perceived need for training are widespread across different student groups, not limited to any one demographic segment.

The study also explored students’ views on the role of AI and robotics in elderly care. Respondents favored AI applications for tasks such as sending medication reminders, providing health information, and enabling communication with medical staff. Robotics, meanwhile, was valued for physical assistance, including lifting patients, cleaning, and delivering food. Together, these insights suggest that healthcare students view AI and robotics as complementary tools, with AI handling informational and cognitive functions while robotics provides physical support.

The findings also carry implications for policymakers and education planners beyond Vietnam. As healthcare systems worldwide move toward digitization, ensuring that medical education keeps pace is critical to maintaining high standards of care.