USE OF AI IN THE CLINICAL ENVIRONMENT
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may support learning in the clinical environment, including clerkships, but they must be used appropriately and in compliance with UW Medicine policies. This includes, but is not limited to, UW Medicine clerkships, regional clerkships and other clinical curriculum activities such as foundations of clinical medicine (FCM) and patient care practicum (PCP).
Potential uses of AI considered low risk can be found in the UW Medicine Use of AI Policy below. It includes examples such as analyzing publicly available data sets, self-tutoring, and image creation for a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. In limiting the scope of acceptable use of AI tools, our goal is to prevent “cognitive surrender,” defined as the transfer of thinking, reasoning, or decision-making responsibilities to AI systems, “never skilling,” defined as the failure to develop essential competencies because a task has been delegated to technology rather than learned through practice and the false sense that using AI is more efficient when, in fact, verifying AI information may actually take more time.
As such, students who use AI must use it as a supplement to—not a substitute for—clinical reasoning. Students must verify AI-generated information before using, maintain professionalism and academic integrity, and disclose AI use when required. Students may not use AI tools for assessments, assignments, clinical documentation, or examinations unless explicitly authorized in writing by the course or clerkship director.
Students must never upload, enter, or share any patient information, including protected health information (PHI), in any AI platform. This applies to both UW-approved and external AI tools. Students must not use generative AI to write clinical notes. Students remain responsible for the accuracy and professionalism of any documentation submitted under their name.
Clerkships may have additional guidelines for AI use in their specific courses, not to permit use that is beyond the limitations written here. Students are expected to abide by these clerkship specific guidelines as well.
Course and clerkship materials created by UW faculty may only be uploaded to or shared with UW-approved AI platforms:
Students may not upload or submit UW course materials, clerkship materials, or clinical content to external, non-UW AI platforms. Failure to comply with these expectations may constitute a violation of UW SOM Standards of Conduct and Professional Behavior Policy.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: