Exploring the use of ChatGPT as a study tool to help develop communication skills in undergraduate dermatology education

Undergraduate medical students often have limited opportunities to gain experience in dermatology, particularly in navigating more complex communication scenarios – due to the typically brief duration of placements. A recent scoping review has highlighted the promising potential of ChatGPT as a tool to provide innovative and effective learning experiences to medical students (Gordon M, Daniel M, Aderonke Ajiboye et al. A scoping review of artificial intelligence in medical education: BEME Guide No. 84. Med Teach 2024; 46: 446–70). This project explored ChatGPT as a supplementary method for enhancing dermatology-specific communication training, offering students a novel way to practise outside clinical placements. This study was designed to explore students’ perceptions of ChatGPT as a tool to support the development of communication skills in dermatology, and to examine current patterns of use, perceived concerns and suggestions for future applications. Five tutorials were delivered to fourth-year medical students (n = 38) during dermatology placements. In pairs, students used ChatGPT 4.0 to navigate two challenging scenarios: counselling a patient with eczema and breaking bad news about melanoma. Structured prompts provided to students guided interaction with ChatGPT on mobile devices. Pre- and postsession questionnaires were completed to collect both quantitative and qualitative data, which were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Sessions ended with a group discussion on students’ experiences and perceptions of the tool. The results showed that 71% (n = 27) of students found ChatGPT ‘moderately’ or ‘extremely’ useful for developing their communication skills in dermatology. While 74% (n = 28) reported minimal concerns, some cited issues such as accuracy, contextual relevance, ethical and environmental implications, and potential over-reliance on the tool. The findings suggest that, when used in a structured manner, ChatGPT can support communication training in dermatology. Students engaged thoughtfully with the tool, indicating its promise as a resource for digital and interdisciplinary education in health professions training.

Abstract from Crossref