Transforming Medical Education with AI and Soft Skills

A Resounding Success

AIIS: Artificial Intelligence, Innovation and Society

 

October 2023

 

The AIIS (Artificial Intelligence, Innovation & Society) project, a visionary initiative funded by Erasmus+ under Key Action 2 (KA2), Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices, has reached a triumphant conclusion, reshaping the landscape of medical education in Europe.

 

A Vision Realized

Three years ago, the University of Salamanca (USAL) and the AIIS consortium embarked on a visionary journey to revolutionize medical education. Their goal was to provide a comprehensive program for medical students, integrating AI, innovation, and soft skills into the curriculum, and promoting the adoption of this program by European universities. Today, we celebrate the fruition of this vision.

 

Unprecedented Achievements

From the project's inception, we set ambitious goals, and not only did we meet them – we surpassed them with flying colors due to an innovative approach and well structured work that has created a continuum of progress, where each phase builds upon the insights and achievements of the previous one:

Survey & Research Insights: We embarked on a journey of discovery, seeking to understand the specific needs of medical students in AI and Soft Skills. This research phase culminated in profound insights and tangible outcomes:

• Guidelines for Research Implementation: We laid the foundation for our research, ensuring that our approach would be thorough and effective.
• Research Analysis: An astonishing 422 students and professors (151 more than our initial goal) participated in our survey, affirming the critical need for AI and Soft Skills training in medical education.
• Competence Guidelines & Learning Journey: This is where we crafted the framework for our transformative curriculum, setting the stage for the journey that lay ahead.

Training for Transformation: Building upon the insights of previous work, this work package was dedicated to creating the educational materials that would revolutionize medical education:

• Training Pills: We developed an arsenal of educational resources, including 60 Videos, 61 Presentations, 58 Tasks, and 20 Reflection Zones. These materials were meticulously designed to foster AI proficiency and enhance soft skills.
• AIIS Learning Interface: We introduced a collaborative learning platform where students could engage with the training materials, study, check their knowledge through tasks, and collaborate with peers.

The Transformation Unfolds: With a strong foundation established previously, this work package marked the phase where the transformation came to life:

• Piloting AIIS Learning Program: In this pivotal stage, we reached out to an astounding 310 students (210 more than our initial goal), with 125 actively participating. Most impressively, 101 students successfully completed the program, far exceeding our initial goal by 51 students.
• Challenges: Students took on real medical challenges, utilizing their newfound knowledge in AI and their honed soft skills. They formed teams, collaborated, and ultimately produced 11 AI models.

Integration and Beyond: This work package marks the final phase of this remarkable continuum, where we move toward the integration of the AIIS program into European universities:

• Exploitation: We have diligently researched and planned for the integration of our program into universities, ensuring its recognition and validation. This phase also involves engaging with universities and businesses to pave the way for widespread adoption.

The Pillars of Support: Let's not forget the invaluable contribution of Project Management, Dissemination, and Quality Control & Evaluation. These work packages were instrumental in ensuring seamless coordination, effective dissemination, and high-quality results. Without their unwavering support, the remarkable outcomes of the core work packages would not have been possible.

A Brighter Future for Medical Education

As the AIIS project culminates, it is clear that this journey has been an extraordinary success. The continuum of interconnected core work packages, coupled with the dedication of the others, has enabled us to gather insights, transform learning, and now take significant steps toward the integration of AI and Soft Skills into medical education. The AIIS consortium, with its unyielding commitment to the future of healthcare education, is proud to have led this remarkable journey.

Strong Consortium, Bright Future

The AIIS consortium, comprising nine esteemed organizations, is united in the mission to redefine medical education, paving the way for a brighter future in healthcare:

1. University of Salamanca (Leader of the Project), Spain
2. CIBER ISCiii, Spain
3. MEUS, Spain
4. University of Turku, Finland
5. Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland
6. University of Thessaly, Greece
7. Science For You - SciFY, Greece
8. Xebia, Netherlands
9. University of Mons, Belgium

Meet the 36 professionals of our team here.

Join the Legacy

The AIIS project has redefined the landscape of medical education, preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals to thrive in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. We invite you to join us in celebrating this extraordinary journey.

More about the project on the website: https://aiis.usal.es/

Contact us through Email: aiis@usal.es, Subscribe to our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Project Management: Pedro Luis Sánchez & María Jesús Santos, USAL aiis@usal.es

Contact Person: Despoina Chalvatzi, SciFY dchalvatzi@scify.org

#AIIS

Funding

This project is funded by Erasmus + under KeyAction 2 (KA2), Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices, funded by the European Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).

In Other Languages

Read the Press Release in Spanish, French, Finnish and Greek.