Sallam M. ChatGPT Utility in Healthcare Education, Research, and Practice: Systematic Review on the Promising Perspectives and Valid Concerns. Healthcare (Basel) 2023;11(6)doi:10.3390/healthcare11060887
This systematic review explores the applications and hesitations surrounding ChatGPT use in healthcare education, research, and clinical practice. Articles published between 2022 and February 2023 are presented in this review. Eligibility criteria included published scientific research or preprints examining ChatGPT in healthcare practice, research, education, or academic writing. Excluded articles were non-English, addressed ChatGPT in other nonhealthcare areas, or were non-academic sources. Of the 280 articles of interest, 60 met the eligibility criteria. Assessment of these 60 articles was done by recording each study design, aim(s), application(s), benefits, risks, concerns, limitations, suggested actions, and conclusions. In the area of scientific research and writing, ChatGPT provided time-saving benefits by generating literature summaries and computer code. It also supplied overviews of in-process data expediting the publication process, particularly for non-native English speakers, when developing manuscripts. Limitations and criticism included inaccurate information, lack of legitimate references, bias, fraud, linguistic oddities, and copyright issues. In healthcare practice, ChatGPT streamlined clinical workflow and diagnostic decision-making. In this setting ChatGPT outputs needed to be closely monitored but were valuable. Several concerns were raised including, ethics, accuracy, inability to process uncertainty, and lack of empathy and biological systems knowledge. The most promising area appears to be health education. Here, ChatGPT has repeatedly matched the exam performance of first-year residents, forcing new approaches to exam question development, which focus on critical thinking. ChatGPT has also been used to develop accurate and informative vignettes, provide immediate feedback to students on assignments, and allow for individual self-learning as adjunctive to classroom-based learning. While the concern of academic dishonesty remains, the benefits of ChatGPT in healthcare education outweigh the limitations. This review provides cautious optimism for integrating ChatGPT into healthcare education, research, and practice.