article · BMC Medical Education
A survey of 614 undergraduate medical students across four Egyptian governorates investigated experiences, views, and academic behaviours surrounding ChatGPT and related artificial intelligence chatbots. Prior to the study, 78.5 percent of participants had already used ChatGPT. Overall, students reported positive perceptions, attitudes, and practices, showing substantial trust in the tool, with approximately half considering its outputs accurate and reliable. Nevertheless, significant reservations persist alongside this enthusiasm. Over two thirds of respondents reported worry regarding potential misuse of the technology within medical education, whilst roughly 60 percent expressed concern about the factual accuracy of content generated on complex medical topics. These insights demonstrate high academic engagement with generative tools paired with clear awareness of technical limits, underlining the necessity for academic institutions to formulate up to date ethical guidance for artificial intelligence adoption.
As artificial intelligence chatbots become widespread study aids, understanding how trainee doctors interact with them is essential. High student adoption paired with concerns over factual reliability highlights the urgency for universities to manage risks. Establishing clear institutional frameworks ensures future clinicians learn to use emerging digital tools responsibly without compromising the rigorous accuracy demanded by medical training.
The abstract describes observational survey research rather than a product ready for commercialisation. The findings are relevant to educational technology developers and university administrators considering artificial intelligence teaching tools and integrity policies. Any commercial or applied deployment appears distant, as the abstract emphasises the need for institutional ethical guidelines and broader impact research rather than an application pathway or tested technology.
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BACKGROUND: ChatGPT, a chatbot launched by OpenAI in November 2022, has generated both excitement and concern within the healthcare education, research, and practice communities. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and practices of undergraduate medical students regarding the use of ChatGPT and similar chatbots in their academic work. METHODS: An anonymous, structured questionnaire was developed using Google Forms and administered to medical students as part of a cross-sectional study. The survey targeted undergraduate medical students from four governorates in Egypt. The questionnaire link was distributed through social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp. The survey comprised four sections: socio-demographic characteristics, perceptions, attitudes, and practices. RESULTS: The survey achieved a response rate of 96%, with 614 out of 640 approached students participating. Prior to the study, most respondents (78.5%) had personal experience using it. Overall, respondents demonstrated positive perceptions, attitudes, and practices toward ChatGPT, with mean scores exceeding 3 for all three variables: 3.99 ± 0.60 for perceptions, 3.01 ± 0.46 for attitudes, and 3.55 ± 0.55 for practices. In general, the students exhibited a high degree of trust in the model, with approximately half trusting the accuracy and reliability of the information provided by ChatGPT. However, more than two-thirds expressed apprehension about its potential misuse in medical education, and around 60% were concerned about the accuracy of information ChatGPT might generate on complex medical topics. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students show strong interest and trust in using ChatGPT and similar chatbots for academic purposes but have concerns about the reliability of the information and potential misuse in medical education. The use of AI tools should follow ethical guidelines set by academic institutions, with regular updates to keep pace with technological progress. Future research should focus on the impact of AI on education and personal development, especially among young people.
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DOI: 10.1186/s12909-025-06731-9
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