ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Digital Public Health
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1634638
Perceptions of Large Language Models in Medical Education and Clinical Practice Among Pediatric Emergency Physicians in Saudi Arabia: A Multiregional Cross-Sectional Study
Provisionally accepted
- 1King fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 2Armed Forced Hospital Alhada, Taif, Saudi Arabia
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Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping healthcare delivery and education, but little is known about its perceived value among pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess the perceptions and experiences of PEM physicians in Saudi Arabia toward the use of AI, particularly ChatGPT, in clinical practice and medical education.Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted among 100 PEM physicians across various regions of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire explored demographics, AI experience, perceived benefits and limitations, and the evaluation of ChatGPT-generated clinical and educational content.Results: Most participants (96%) believed that AI tools, such as ChatGPT, would play a significant role in the future of PEM. A high agreement was observed regarding AI's usefulness in medical education (91%) and clinical practice, particularly in differential diagnosis (77%) and documentation (78%). The ChatGPT-generated responses to a clinical scenario (croup) were rated highly for validity, reasoning, and educational value. However, 66% of them still preferred traditional textbooks for complex topics. The key concerns included accuracy (83%), patient safety (56%), and lack of regulatory guidance (52%).Saudi PEM physicians show a strong interest in integrating AI tools, such as ChatGPT, into clinical and educational workflows. Although optimism is high, concerns about safety, ethics, and oversight highlight the need for regulatory frameworks and structured implementation strategies.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, pediatric emergency medicine, Medical Education, Clinical decision support, Physician perceptions, Saudi Arabia, Digital Health
Received: 27 May 2025; Accepted: 18 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Algoraini, Alsyyali, Alotaibi, Almeshawi, Alaifan and Alrashed. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yara Algoraini, King fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.