Harnessing AI for Medical Education: How USU’s First-Year Students are Leading the Way

Uniformed Services University students are using artificial intelligence (AI) to transform their medical education and shape the future of military medicine.

USU first-year medical students are pioneering the use of AI tools to transform their medical

education and shape the future of military medicine. (AI-generated image)

March 27, 2025 by Sharon Holland

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming medical education, and at the Uniformed Services University (USU), a group of forward-thinking first-year medical students has embraced AI-driven learning tools to enhance their studies. What began as individual experimentation has evolved into a collaborative effort that is shaping the future of medical education at USU.

USU medical students in the Class of 2028 began integrating AI into their medical education out of necessity and curiosity. These first-year students sought to optimize their study methods by leveraging AI-powered tools to streamline note-taking, create study resources, and reinforce their understanding of complex medical concepts.

One of the early adopters, Army 2nd Lt. Ronald Raymond, sought a way to consolidate lecture material and test himself on key concepts. Drawing on techniques he had used in college, he used AI—specifically ChatGPT—to generate practice quizzes. By inputting lecture notes and course objectives, he created self-testing materials that not only reinforced his own understanding but also allowed classmates to identify their weak areas. Encouraged by positive feedback, he started sharing these AI-generated quizzes with the entire class, which quickly led to wider adoption.

Raymond explained, "I figured it could generate some good stuff... If I can generate a 25 to 50 question test out of each lecture, then I feel it’s probably a good gauge on whether I’m understanding or comprehending the information they were trying to teach me." He soon realized his classmates also found them helpful. "I didn't even know if I should keep doing this... then people started coming up saying, ‘Hey, are you making those practice tests for this upcoming test yet?’"

The power of AI in education extended beyond quizzes. Army 2nd Lt. Jaden Kuehner introduced Google’s NotebookLM, enabling students to efficiently organize and synthesize study materials. This tool not only streamlined notes, but also generated personalized podcasts that students could listen to on the go. These AI-generated podcasts even included interactive features, enabling students to ask real-time questions and receive tailored responses—an innovation particularly valuable for those with long commutes.

As more students embraced AI, they discovered additional ways to integrate it into their learning. Navy Ensign Kevin Matthews and Army 2nd Lt. Michael Kim recognized AI's potential for structured tutoring. One classmate, Army 2nd Lt. Zachery Brown, used ChatGPT as an interactive tutor, uploading pathology manuals and engaging in real-time Q&A sessions to reinforce his learning. 

Matthews highlighted the adaptability of AI in education, saying, "The true power... is in the sense that it can be very individualized... You can tailor the output that it provides in a way that’s very approachable to your individualized learning style."

Beyond traditional studying, AI has found applications in clinical training. During the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation module, faculty introduced AI-powered patient simulations using Google Gemini. These simulations allowed students to conduct virtual patient interviews, practice taking medical histories, and refine their diagnostic reasoning. 

"We would paste [the prompt] in there, and it would essentially give a real-time sort of virtual simulation of interacting with a patient, taking a patient history, and doing subjective questioning," Matthews explained. "It created a pretty high-fidelity simulation of a real-world patient chat." 

In addition to simulations, students used AI for pre-class preparation, practicing communication techniques and receiving feedback on tone, empathy, and thoroughness before Integrated Clinical Skills sessions. While AI cannot replace human interaction in medicine, it offers a valuable training ground for students to practice and build confidence before engaging with real patients.

Recognizing AI's growing role in medical education, students like Matthews and Kim advocated for a structured approach to AI integration at USU. They proposed forming a working group to identify best practices, educate incoming students, and ensure effective use of AI tools. Their goal was to establish a framework that future classes—beginning with the Class of 2029—could build upon, ensuring AI remained a valuable and evolving part of the curriculum.  

AI use among students at USU was not entirely new, however. Second-year students had experimented with AI-generated Anki decks for studying, but the process proved too time-consuming for widespread adoption. However, the first-year class refined and expanded AI applications in a more structured and collaborative way, setting a new standard for AI use in medical education and training.

"It’s hard to say how much of the class is using AI because it’s definitely a tool... I see it as a workout," Kim noted. "If you look at it as a larger educational workout—AI is one type of exercise... Over 50% use it in their ‘workout,’ but whether it’s every single time is harder to measure."

The impact of these students’ efforts was recognized by USU President Dr. Jonathan Woodson, who highlighted their AI-driven innovations during a plenary lecture at a recent conference, showcasing their work to a large Federal healthcare audience.  This recognition validated their efforts and underscored AI's importance in shaping the future of military medicine.

As AI technology continues to evolve, USU students are at the forefront of exploring its potential. Matthews emphasized AI's importance in medical education and training: "The doubling time of medical knowledge has drastically shortened in recent years... AI is able to synthesize a lot of that down into the most approachable and understandable level. It’s a very powerful tool in how we use it."