AI and Teaching Foreign Languages in Healthcare HE

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching foreign languages within healthcare higher education is gradually changing established pedagogical practices. While we may benefit from personalized learning experiences or broader access to multiple sources, significant doubts persist, such as ensuring academic integrity, (non)understanding of the overall context and insufficient training for educators and students.

This study examines institutional approaches in Czech universities, showing struggles with AI implementation due to inflexibility in adapting to dynamically evolving technological advancements and the absence of clear legal frameworks for AI use.

Moreover, the study explores the perspectives of PhD medical students on using AI tools, such as machine translation software and writing assistance platforms, in their academic work.

Using a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, the findings reveal scepticism among students. Their concerns include potential collision with academic integrity and hesitancy to share sensitive data with AI. These findings highlight the urgent need for Czech universities to develop comprehensive policies and provide structured support for ethical and effective integration of AI into HE education.

Download the abstract

Veronika is the head of the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc. She teaches undergraduate students (English for healthcare), PhD students (courses on Academic writing) and employees of the Faculty. She is particularly interested in the cultural phenomena of academic writing, contrastive rhetoric and AI implementation in teaching languages for healthcare professionals.

Veronika will greatly appreciate your insights and contributions to her research. Please take a moment and complete the questionnaire on AI in language teaching at medical schools here. Your thoughts and ideas are crucial for understanding how AI impacts (and might impact in the future) language learning for future healthcare professionals. Thank you!

Join us for this one-day event dedicated to discussions on the role of AI in healthcare communication and education.