Let's Talk Systems - What Do We Really Mean by a Systems Approach in AI-Enhanced Medical Education?

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is no longer peripheral to medical education; it is steadily reshaping how knowledge is accessed, interpreted, and applied. Yet its presence has outpaced conceptual clarity. AI is used to generate assessments, simulate clinical encounters, provide adaptive feedback, and support decision-making, but these applications often exist as isolated innovations rather than components of an integrated educational design. It is high time we engage with AI through a systems thinking approach. This perspective article first interrogates current patterns of use through an utility-intent-outcome analysis, examining not only what AI does, but what it changes. It then adapts Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model to situate AI within interconnected learner, institutional, cultural, and temporal systems. The final section reflects on the structural, ethical, and implementation science and challenges that must be addressed to move from episodic adoption toward sustainable, coherent transformation.