In a study comparing junior medical interns to ChatGPT, researchers from Taipei Medical University, Taiwan, have found that while AI excels at creating accurate and complete medical records, it struggles to match human clinicians' empathy and nuanced communication. These findings highlight both the potential and the limitations of AI in healthcare.

Integrating AI: A Partner, Not a Replacement, for Medical Professionals

Medical professionals's efficiency and well-being are pivotal to patient outcomes. Under the leadership of Prof. Yung-Chun Chang, the research underscores the importance of integrating AI as a complementary tool rather than a substitute for human expertise.

"ChatGPT can boost efficiency in medical documentation, but it doesn’t replicate the empathy and trust that only a human clinician can provide," said Prof. Chang.

Although ChatGPT could enhance efficiency by improving the accuracy and speed of documentation, its inability to address critical patient concerns and build trust emphasizes the irreplaceable role of human interaction in healthcare.

ChatGPT vs. Human Interns: A Mixed Report Card in Medical Documentation

The study revealed that ChatGPT 4.0 performed on par with or better than junior medical interns in terms of medical documentation quality, particularly in grammar and record completeness. However, the AI frequently failed to capture critical “negative findings,” which are essential for accurate diagnoses and sometimes included irrelevant or fabricated information. Meanwhile, standardized patients consistently rated human interns higher for their communication skills, responsiveness, and empathy, underscoring the importance of human interaction in patient care.

Highlighting Strengths and Gaps

The study involved five non-medical individuals using ChatGPT (versions 3.5 and 4.0) and five junior medical interns, each performing identical patient history-taking and documentation tasks. Using standardized patients in a controlled simulation, experienced emergency physicians evaluated performance based on established clinical examination standards.

Balancing AI Efficiency with Human Empathy in Modern Healthcare

This research highlights AI's potential to streamline healthcare documentation processes, freeing medical professionals to focus on patient care. However, it also underscores the need for robust oversight to ensure accuracy and relevance in AI-generated records. Additionally, the findings stress the importance of retaining human-led communication in clinical interactions, as patients value empathy and trust in their healthcare providers.

AI has a promising future in healthcare, but it must be carefully integrated alongside human professionals. By leveraging AI's and clinicians' strengths, healthcare can achieve greater efficiency without compromising the essential human elements of care. This study is a critical step toward understanding how AI can support—but not replace—human medical expertise.