The rapid rise of generative AI in education presents both opportunities and challenges in health professions education (HPE) where critical thinking and deep learning are essential. This workshop is designed to help health professions educators navigate these challenges by exploring how generative AI can be harnessed to enhance student learning without propagating passive acceptance. Participants will engage in collaborative discussions and hands-on activities to develop practical tools and strategies for instruction that support the effective use of generative AI (GAI) in HPE.

The session will begin with a brief overview of the current landscape of GAI in education, including common concerns about its impact on student learning behaviors. Participants will then work in small groups to identify specific learning experiences where GAI could be integrated to foster critical thinking and deep learning. Each group will develop instructional resources, such as checklists, instructional strategies, or guidelines, that can be used to guide students in their use of GAI, ensuring that GAI supports and augments, rather than hinders, their educational development.

By the end of the session, participants will have acknowledged and reframed their concerns about GAI, transforming these concerns into actionable strategies. They will leave with concrete tools and a better understanding of how to integrate GAI into their teaching practices to enhance, rather than diminish, the learning experience.

Agenda & Methods
Introduction and Overview (10 minutes) [LO1, LO5]:
The session will start with a brief introduction that outlines the current landscape of generative AI in health professions education, along with the workshop’s goals and expected outcomes.

Pair-and-Share followed by Facilitated Large Group Discussion (15 minutes) [LO1]:
Participants will discuss common concerns about AI’s impact on student learning, particularly the fear of fostering passive learning habits. They will also identify their own concerns.

Small Group Work (40 minutes) [LO2, LO3, LO4]:
Participants will be divided into small groups. They will identify a learning experience within their own teaching contexts where AI could be beneficial, then collaboratively develop tools and resources (e.g., checklists, guidelines, instructional strategies) to ensure AI supports critical thinking and active learning among their students. Each group will be encouraged to use generative AI to help them develop these tools by posing questions or challenges related to enhancing critical appraisal skills and deep learning in the context of student AI use.
Each group will have access to facilitators, one of whom is a medical student, to provide guidance and insights.

Group Report-Out and Discussion (15 minutes) [LO5]:
Groups will report their findings and share the tools and strategies they’ve developed, followed by a facilitated discussion on the applicability of these resources in different educational settings.

Wrap-Up and Next Steps (10 minutes) [LO5]:
The session will conclude with a summary of key takeaways, including how participants can implement the tools and strategies developed during the workshop in their own institutions. Participants will be encouraged to continue the conversation beyond the workshop and consider forming a community of practice focused on the effective use of generative AI in health professions education.