Feb 7, 2024
ChatGPT is a smart AI (artificial intelligence) tool created by OpenAI. It's designed to understand and reply to questions you type in. For medical students, ChatGPT can be an invaluable resource, acting as a digital study partner to clarify difficult medical subjects and aid in exam preparation, including OSCE exams.
This guide will show you how to leverage ChatGPT, offering advice on setting it up to best suit your study needs. It's particularly handy for those accessing ChatGPT's free version but is equally beneficial for educators wanting to incorporate AI for OSCE exams preparation and other educational purposes.
The Limits of ChatGPT for Medical Learning
ChatGPT is incredibly useful, yet it has its limitations:
It isn't a real doctor, so it might not always capture the subtleties of medical knowledge perfectly.
Sometimes, it could provide answers that are vague or not quite right.
It may not be up-to-date with the latest medical information or detailed on rare medical topics.
The free version has certain limitations that the premium version, ChatGPT Plus or GPT-4, does not, but the latter requires a subscription.
Keep in mind, ChatGPT operates on algorithms, mimicking human conversation without truly understanding it.
Making GPT Work for You
Before you start using ChatGPT, it's a good idea to tell it a bit about what you need. Since ChatGPT doesn't know you're a medical student or what kind of help you're looking for, you have to set it up with some instructions.
For example, if you're studying in the UK, you might want ChatGPT to use British English and know about UK medical guidelines. This helps make sure the answers you get are more useful for you.
What ChatGPT Should Know:
I'm a third-year med student in the UK, studying for exams.
How ChatGPT Should Reply:
Use use British English and spell medical terms the UK way. Avoid American medical words and slang. Make sure your answers are based on UK medical guidelines and sources, and match how things are done in UK healthcare. Use clear, specific medical language without any non-medical terms.
How to Ask GPT Questions
How you interact with ChatGPT can significantly influence the quality of its responses. Think of it as giving clear directions. If you're specific about what you want to know, ChatGPT can give you better answers.
When you use ChatGPT, a prompt is simply the question or the first thing you tell it. This is your way of asking ChatGPT to help you with something specific, like finding out about asthma symptoms or making a question on asthma.
Think of the prompt as instructions you give to ChatGPT, telling it what you're looking for (like details about asthma) or what you need it to do (like come up with a question on asthma).
How well you write this prompt can really change how useful or accurate ChatGPT's answer is. If ChatGPT isn't given clear instructions in your prompt, it won't know exactly what you want.
So, making sure your prompt is clear and well-thought-out is key to getting the help you need.
Examples of Simple ChatGPT Prompts
Adding more details to your prompt usually gets you better results. Try to be as clear and specific as you can when telling ChatGPT what you need.
Example 1: Asthma Symptoms
Let's say you're studying for your medical school exams and need to know about asthma symptoms for your notes.
Not so good prompt: "What are the symptoms of asthma?"
This is too broad and might not give you the detailed answers you're looking for.
Better prompt: "List the key symptoms of asthma in bullet point format with a short explanation about the nature and relevance of each symptom, to include in my study notes"
This tells ChatGPT exactly what you need, making it more likely you'll get helpful information.
Screenshot: Medical Student Helper assistant by ChatLabs.
Example 2: Understanding Rinne’s Test
If you're getting ready for an upcoming exam and need to understand how to figure out the results of Rinne’s and Weber’s tests.
Not so good prompt: "What's Rinne’s test? What's Weber’s test?"
This is too broad and might lead to a lot of unneeded info.
Better prompt: "I need help understanding how to interpret Rinne’s and Weber’s test results. Can you explain?"
This gives ChatGPT a clear idea of what you're struggling with, focusing the response on interpreting the tests' results.
Understanding Medical Topics with ChatGPT
ChatGPT is a handy tool for getting to grips with medical topics, whether they're new diagnoses or complex concepts you're trying to wrap your head around.
Here's what ChatGPT can do for you:
Give a brief overview of a medical condition you're not familiar with.
Clarify how to read clinical signs, making it easier to understand what they mean.
Break down medical concepts into simpler terms.
Outline the clinical features that go with certain diagnoses.
Sum up information from textbooks and guidelines, focusing on important tests and how to manage conditions.
Creating summaries of medical conditions to get a clear, concise overview.
Explaining clinical signs, like what Murphy's sign indicates, in straightforward terms.
Figuring Out Differential Diagnoses
ChatGPT can also be a big help in building your clinical reasoning by coming up with a range of possible diagnoses based on the symptoms presented.
For instance, you might ask ChatGPT to come up with what could be causing earache, offering different scenarios to consider.
Making Study Easier with Memory Aids
If mnemonics and memory tricks are part of how you study, ChatGPT can lend a hand here, too. It's great for coming up with new mnemonics or even refreshing old ones that help lock in those must-know facts. Remember, mnemonics like those for the carpal bones or causes of pancreatitis are classic for a reason—they work!
While not every mnemonic ChatGPT suggests will hit the mark, giving it more details can help it come up with something that really sticks for you.
Testing Your Knowledge
You can challenge your understanding by using ChatGPT to quiz you on any medical subject or specific area, such as pathophysiology.
ChatGPT can act as a 'Socratic tutor,' engaging you with targeted questions to deepen your learning through a method known as Socratic questioning.
Creating Medical Questions
ChatGPT is capable of crafting medical questions to aid in your exam preparation, tailoring them to various formats like multiple choice (MCQs), single best answer (SBA), extended matching (EMQs), and true/false.
To ensure ChatGPT creates precise and relevant questions, your prompt should include the question format and the subject matter. Including a brief on specific topics, such as details from the NICE guidelines, can help minimize inaccuracies.
Practicing for OSCEs
Practicing for Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) can be quite challenging due to the practical, hands-on nature of these exams. However, ChatGPT can be a valuable tool to aid in preparation. Here are several ways it can help:
Clinical Scenario Simulation: ChatGPT can simulate patient encounters by presenting various clinical scenarios, symptoms, and histories. This allows you to practice formulating differential diagnoses, deciding on investigations, and planning management strategies.
Question and Answer Practice: You can use ChatGPT to quiz yourself on medical knowledge across different specialties. Asking it to provide questions on specific topics or to explain concepts can help reinforce learning.
Communication Skills: OSCEs often assess communication skills, including how you interact with patients and colleagues. ChatGPT can role-play as a patient, allowing you to practice explaining diagnoses, treatments, and procedures in an understandable and empathetic manner.
Ethical Scenario Discussion: ChatGPT can present ethical dilemmas commonly encountered in medical practice, giving you a chance to think through your responses and discuss the principles of medical ethics that apply.
Feedback on Responses: While ChatGPT's feedback is not from a clinical expert, it can still offer general feedback on the structure and content of your responses, helping you refine your answers.
It's important to complement the use of ChatGPT with other study materials, clinical practice, and feedback from educators and peers. While ChatGPT can be a useful tool, it cannot replace the depth of learning gained from hands-on clinical experience and expert guidance.
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