Artificial intelligence in the field of medical education -
To be or not to be?
Dr Tabinda Hasan [saudi arabia]
Dr Mahmood Fauzi[saudi arabia]
Dr Deeba Hasan [india]
From the earliest moments scientists have dreamed of an electronic brain. This quest to create an artificially intelligent computer has been the most ambitious. Computers can now be programmed to do complex manipulation that resembles higher human thought.
Today, computerized intelligence has become the intersection for information, science, medicine, and health care. It is the art of creating intelligent machines. 'Medical artificial intelligence in primarily concerned with the construction of artificially intelligent programmes that perform diagnosis and make therapy recommendations, [Clancy and Shortliffe1984]
This artificial intelligence has glorified the computer in the field of medical education. It is, by all means, the best model for an intelligent tutoring system.
We are all familiar with ELIZA, the Chabot artificial therapist, which can keep a spontaneous conversation going. It seems to simulate the human mind.
Then there are the so called “perfect doctors in a box” assisting or even surpassing our clinicians with tasks like diagnosis.
So we can well imagine the power and potential of this "brainy machine".
But there is one question we choose to ignore.
Are we creating an “alien intelligence form” for ourselves with which we will have to share our world to the extent of being "too close for comfort"?
Do unforeseen consequences lay in store for us? What are the limitations of a computer based medical system? There is increasing disillusion with such artificially intelligent diagnostic programmes [Shortliffe, 1987].They fit poorly into clinical practice, be it solving problems that were not an issue, or changing the way clinicians worked.
It does not have the creativity of the human thought process and hence, sometimes the information exchange system may seem dull.
It is lacking in the emotional aspects which play an important role in the inclusive systems based on integrating persons with medical conditions.
What can happen if computer based medical record keeping and diagnosing system go awry?
If the circuits become fuzzed out, will it play a bigger havoc than we choose to admit?
They are an aid of course, but have they become indispensable to the point of making us handicapped?
Will our thinking power, decision making reflexes, cognitive skills and instincts become compromised and substituted by this “thinking machine" offering ready-made potions.
Will we loose ourselves if we loose the disc data?
According to Darwin, (1859), the present human form is the result of a series of mutations and selective omissions. Will Darvins theory of disuse atrophy come into play once again, this time with the number of active neurons in our brain?
This is a mystery which only time can unveil. Hense, in the emergent scenario, it is recommended to use such programmes with due caution.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS- my parents [muhitul hasan, munawar sultana]
References
Shortiffe, E.H. (1993). The adolescence of AI in medicine: will the field come of age in the '90s? Articial Intell Med- Review, 5(2), 93-106.
Medical Artificial Intelligence (2010). Intelligent services in Medical Research. Retrieved February 25, 2010 from http://www.med-ai.com/Medical Artificial Intelligence. Mht.
