Session Design Submission Review

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has undergone a tremendous evolution both in its learning capacity and integration within our society. As generative language model AI has become more powerful, surgeons and educators have been excited by its promise but wary of its risks. Although notorious uses of AI have captured media attention (such as writing papers or making instant presentations), there is a huge potential for generative AI to address some of the biggest challenges in surgical education. This workshop is designed to review existing generative AI tools, provide real-world examples of using these tools to address well-known challenges in surgical education, and generate discussion about innovative uses of AI in resident education.

Generative AI tools are improving quickly and proliferating. Popular non-specialized software like ChatGPT and more scientifically focused options like Open Evidence are already in common use. In fact, multiple studies have assessed ChatGPT’s aptitude with anatomy, theoretical knowledge, and surgical technique. Other iterations of artificial intelligence in surgical education include AI-based video review, in which the AI software has demonstrated parity with human review of laparoscopic skills. Additionally, one of the strengths of generative AI is the ability to provide individualized learning which is self-paced, adapts to the level of the learner, and can identify knowledge gaps. Leveraging these aspects of generative AI in resident education can help residents become more intentional in their learning and skill acquisition.

Many challenges in surgical education relate to building clinical and technical competence in a clinically busy environment with work hour constraints. Generative AI can provide on-demand, just-in-time instruction at an appropriate level of depth and at clinically relevant moments. Generative AI can also help residents critically assess their own knowledge gaps. These are essential parts of intentional learning that can complement the more traditional didactic lectures and bedside teaching. Adaptive, individualized, question-based instruction is also a great tool for ABSITE remediation.

Additionally, since residents have more modalities to learn (open, laparoscopic, robotic) in more constrained duty hours, maximizing learning during each operative case is critical.  Most residency programs emphasize simulation and practice outside of the operating room.  Generative AI can provide guided instruction to increase the effectiveness of simulation. In fact, AI-guided simulation training has led to improved skill performance when compared to a remote instructor in at least one study. Generative AI language models can also review critical steps of an operation and intraoperative scenarios in an interactive way to prepare for cases.

Although generative AI has well-documented limitations, including hallucinations and bias, it has the potential to be a powerful tool in surgical education.  This workshop should prepare surgical educators, including program directors, teaching faculty, and clerkship directors, to understand ways to incorporate generative AI tools into surgical education to address some perennial challenges (such as ABSITE remediation and intraoperative learning) while also promoting a culture of intentional learning. Thoughtful use of new AI tools may lead to the next wave of innovations in surgical education.

45-minute workshop

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Appraise the current use of artificial intelligence within surgical education

Prioritize strategies for integration of artificial intelligence into educational development

Define strategies by which to incorporate generative artificial intelligence into the development of technical skills