Narrative review explores AI's role in anesthesiology education as augmentative tool
This narrative review synthesizes current literature on AI-driven technologies in anesthesiology education, covering virtual reality simulators and machine learning platforms. The authors discuss potential applications in precision education, procedural fluency, clinical reasoning, educational management, and objective competency assessment. They argue that AI's role is as an augmentative tool, empowering educators to provide more personalized feedback and facilitate higher-order skill development, rather than replacing traditional pedagogical methods.
The review highlights several limitations and risks, including de-skilling of practitioners, perpetuation of algorithmic biases, data security vulnerabilities, and issues of equitable access. These concerns temper the enthusiasm for transformative applications that could revolutionize anesthesiology education. The authors emphasize that AI should be integrated thoughtfully to avoid unintended consequences.
Given the narrative nature of the review, no pooled effect sizes or quantitative outcomes are reported. The evidence is based on qualitative synthesis of existing literature, and the authors do not provide a systematic search strategy or certainty assessment. For clinicians and educators, the review offers a balanced perspective on AI's potential and pitfalls, underscoring the need for careful implementation and ongoing evaluation of these technologies in educational settings.