How emerging breakthrough technologies can help students shape their careers

Digital automation, artificial intelligence, and other breakthrough innovations have been the buzzwords for the past few years. Despite the overwhelming noise surrounding these concepts, understanding their depth could develop the opportunities available to students.

Tracing the arc of artificial intelligence through history reveals a remarkable journey. From its landmark victory in 1997 when IBM's Deep Blue outmanoeuvred chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov to its 2023 milestone of dominating the streets in the form of autonomous vehicles, AI has undergone a transformative evolution. 

Technology has advanced to a point where humans can no longer halt it. Waymo, a US-based self-driving technology company, now offers driver-free taxi rides to its residents. In the meantime, OpenAI has introduced the world to its invention, which has disrupted our lives and seized people's imagination in a way other companies could not. 

The competence of a generative AI to compose music, generate images, write content, and make arguments provides a potential window to what the future will look like. McKinsey, a top consulting firm, has stated that generative AI alone can create a value of $4.4 trillion in various industries.

However, traditional education curriculums are not keeping up with the rapid technological advancements, hindering students from keeping pace. A major revamp of the current curriculums is needed.

As students enter university, they predominantly experience technology from an end-user's perspective. For example, social media apps utilise AI technology every second, which most young people understand. They recognise how 'algorithm' curate data and can bring a particular content creator back to their 'For You' page. 

However, most institutions have not integrated AI into their learning process. Let us look into medical studies as a niche. 

In five years, we will need specialists using AI to improve cancer treatment. Ten years from now, most surgeries will be conducted by robotics machines, operated remotely by a surgeon. 

Within the same decade, 3D-printer-enabled precision bioengineering and synthetic organs will become a critical part of medical technology, similar to the research conducted by Wake Forest scientists. 

In fifteen years, human knowledge will be stored within an espresso cup full of synthetic fluid and its DNA. Technology will certainly keep advancing. Therefore, education systems must adapt to the increasing need for students to receive practical training in modern and innovative fields.

Google's report suggests that more than 46% of young students have access to their social media accounts by age 12. As a result, parental concerns about technology's potentially detrimental impacts are warranted, and how students are currently being educated fails to prepare them for life in the real world. That is why learning about AI and its foundation has become even more valuable. 

Even if students are not exposed to technological concepts at schools, they should leave university equipped with an understanding of digital responsibility and lessons for career readiness that go beyond the standardised ways of education.

Meanwhile, institutions are progressively banning ChatGPT in classrooms, as they sent educators into a panic mode. According to an article published in the BMJ, there are grave concerns regarding plagiarism in medicine, which, to be fair, is reasonable. 

However, utilising a generative AI and its functionality could be incredibly beneficial. AI could be an outstanding tool to create learning plans, outline reports, or practise critical thinking exercises. 

For instance, ChatGPT can be an effective tool for practising questions, while Anthropic's Claude AI can significantly reduce learning time by compressing a large PDF and providing a summarised bullet point.

Researchers assert that it is important for medical teachers to continue investigating the best possible way to incorporate AI-based instructional strategies. Instead of throwing books about 'Emerging Technologies' at students or an article titled 'Here are five key things you need to learn about AI,' why not allow the students to receive firsthand training? That would allow digital literacy skills to be well-integrated with their regular curriculum, enabling them to get the best of both worlds.

Below, two future doctors from Imperial College London offer their insights on the imperative to weave emerging technologies like artificial intelligence into global medical education curricula.

Medicine and Technology from the perspective of a medical student - Kelina

As a current third-year medical student studying in London, I am incredibly excited about the future of technology in medicine. At university, there is certainly 'hype' around MedTech, and any related opportunities are always oversubscribed, and there are convincing reasons behind it. 

From artificial intelligence and machine learning for diagnoses to robotics and high-speed video for remote surgeries, technology is changing medicine and pushing the boundaries of possibility. Apps are becoming integral to convenient healthcare delivery and are being rolled out worldwide. Technology and medicine are going hand in hand, and I am eager to learn the emerging possibilities of my future career, which will be the norm by the time I graduate. 

Integrating technology into medical curricula is a beneficial addition and a necessity for staying abreast in the ever-evolving healthcare field. Embracing technology can enhance the learning experience in several ways. First of all, technology usage can improve the way students learn. 

Virtual reality can be used to simulate the human body so fine skills like suturing and phlebotomy can be practised more effectively and can accurately emulate different skin types and physiologies instead of the current plastic or silicon models. 

A basic understanding of generative AI could be an invaluable learning tool, facilitating revision and self-testing. 

Broadwell and Maslow coined the 4 stages of competence. As an algorithmic outsider, AI could help with all these stages, but perhaps most usefully, the unconscious incompetence – the gaps in our knowledge not even known to us.

Secondly, technology can be incorporated into our curriculum to help prepare us as doctors. Mere exposure to robotics, bioprinting or genetic engineering keeps us up to date with current medicine so we don't walk into our careers unprepared. 

In this rapidly changing world, a technology-infused medical curriculum prepares us for future challenges but also fosters a mindset of adaptability and innovation that will serve us well throughout our careers.

AI has a deeper role to play in healthcare and medicine - Kirthana

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seamlessly integrated into 42% of professions, including medicine. While some healthcare professionals remain cautious about its reliability and credibility, AI is gradually becoming integral in diagnostic and surgical procedures, particularly in complex medical cases like cancer. 

AI will inevitably play a significant role in our careers as aspiring clinicians, so we should proactively learn and integrate it into practices.

During my Clinical Research and Innovation (CRI) module, I participated in developing and researching an AI-driven nutrition tracking app, which provided valuable insights into AI and machine learning (ML). 

Starting with scepticism, my perception of AI changed as I realised its prevalence and potential to assist medical treatment. I recognised AI's capabilities as an enabler to expand medical capabilities, with several areas of prominence.

One such area is oncology – which aims to improve differentiation between tumour and normal tissue during surgical cancer resection. Early cancer detection is crucial, and AI, coupled with robotic-assisted surgery (RAS), enhances tissue marker identification beyond human capabilities. 

Techniques like AI-guided fluorescence imaging allow surgeons to identify ambiguous cancerous tissue. Surgical robots like The Da Vinci System reduce hospital stays and recovery times while minimising errors and enhancing sensitivity and accuracy. 

Moreover, cloud systems, like Intuitive Surgical and AI, facilitate surgeon learning by recognising patterns and anomalies to improve patient care and reduce surgical variability. 

As time progresses, I hope that AI can grow to support surgeons and clinicians in more complex decision-making and perhaps even enable more successful remission rates. 

However, the integration of AI in medicine demands careful consideration. It should be seamlessly integrated into existing practices to ensure smooth operation. The best way to ensure this is to ensure that staff are trained and comfortable with technology.

As students entering the medical field, our technological proficiency and AI knowledge can significantly enhance medical practices. Boosting digital confidence counters stereotypes of tech-averse medical professionals and harnesses AI's potential effectively.

Kelina Lowther-Harris and Kirthana Srinivasan are making their mark as exemplary medical students at Imperial College London, a prestigious institution that ranks 6th in the UK and sits among the world's top 10 universities.

Farabi Shayor is a 2X author, consultant and scientist recognised by the Science Council in the UK. He lives in London and works with both the public (government) and private sector, providing technology consulting services.