Artificial intelligence for the training of health professionals: Opportunities and challenges

Objective: To analyze the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) in the training of health professionals. This article focuses on the academic preparation of nurses, educators, physicians, public health professionals, and administrators, and discusses collaboration models between the United States and global institutions for training future health professionals. Methods: This manuscript introduces AI modalities and reviews recent literature from the last five years on their use in health professional training. It also examines implications for pedagogy, inclusion, equity, and diversity. Results: AI can serve as an opportunity and ally in academic preparation by reducing costs and increasing access to updated information essential for timely decision making. However, it can also pose challenges, such as reducing future job opportunities and exacerbating inequalities related to access and informed use of digital technologies. Conclusions: AI has advanced considerably in both healthcare and healthcare education, being viewed with optimism by some professionals and with apprehension by others. The integration of AI into the training of health professionals is a priority, as the future scenario will involve its constant use in diagnosis, treatment, and patient monitoring. Collaboration between the United States and global programs in critically addressing the opportunities and challenges of AI is essential to building an updated, technologically prepared health workforce.