Application of AIGC in medical education: a systematic review of the impact on critical thinking abilities of medical students. (Preprint)

Objective: This study aims to explore how artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) impacts the critical thinking skills of medical students through a systematic review. It also aims to develop a framework for coping strategies. The study focuses on AIGC's use in clinical diagnosis, evidence-based medicine, ethical decision-making, and scientific research, while examining challenges and ways to enhance critical thinking. Methods: The study followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searching English literature from November 2022 to June 2025 in PubMed using keywords like "AIGC," "medical students," and "critical thinking." Two reviewers evaluated and analyzed relevant studies qualitatively. Results: AIGC in medical education has both benefits and drawbacks. It provides rich learning resources and tools, speeding up knowledge acquisition. However, overreliance on AIGC may reduce critical thinking skills. Strategies like tailored AI tools, virtual patients, and evaluating AI limitations can help maintain and improve critical thinking. Limitations: The literature review conducted for this study is confined to research findings from the inception of ChatGPT until June 2025, potentially excluding earlier pertinent studies and recent advancements beyond that date. Despite the involvement of two independent reviewers in the screening and evaluation of the literature, the determination of research relevance and quality may still be influenced by subjective judgment. The studies included in this review exhibit considerable variability in terms of design, sample size, characteristics of research participants, and assessment instruments, thereby contributing to the heterogeneity of the results. Additionally, the research predominantly emphasizes short-term effects and lacks follow-up evaluations regarding the long-term impacts of AIGC.