Training activity information
Details
Critically appraise a range of competing AI technologies for their use and suitability
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- Value added by AI
- Effectiveness of solutions
- Clinical processes and IT intervention
- Product assessment
- Application of AI in the clinical environment
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- Consider what it means to critically appraise technologies. What criteria should you use?
- What are some key characteristics and functionalities of different AI technologies that you need to know about before you can compare them?
- What specific insights do you hope to gain about the strengths and weaknesses of different AI technologies in a healthcare context?
- How will this activity improve your ability to determine the suitability of AI for different healthcare applications?
- What is your current understanding of different AI technologies and their applications in healthcare?
- Have you discussed with your training officer which AI technologies you should focus on and potential healthcare use cases.
- What are different types of AI (e.g., rule-based systems, machine learning, deep learning) and their common applications in healthcare.
- How will you evaluate the ‘competing’ aspects – what factors will be important for comparison (e.g., accuracy, interpretability, cost, ethical implications, regulatory compliance)?
- How do you feel about evaluating and comparing complex technical systems?
In action
- How are you structuring your appraisal of the different AI technologies? What criteria are you currently prioritising and why?
- What decisions are you making about which features or limitations of the technologies to focus on as you compare them?
- Which aspects of the critical appraisal (e.g., technical specifications, clinical applicability, cost, regulatory compliance) come more naturally to you, and which require more deliberate thought?
- How effectively are you identifying the key differences and trade-offs between the competing AI technologies?
- What challenges are you facing in understanding the specific strengths and weaknesses of each technology?
- What new information or perspectives are you gaining about the suitability of different AI approaches as you conduct the appraisal?
- How does this appraisal relate to your existing understanding of AI and its applications in healthcare?
- If you find that your initial appraisal criteria are not as helpful as expected, what alternative criteria could you adopt?
- Do you need to consult any additional resources or seek guidance to better understand the technologies you are appraising?
- Are you ensuring that your critical appraisal remains objective and within the scope of your understanding?
On action
- Summarise the AI technologies you appraised and the key criteria you used for your appraisal. What were the main differences and similarities between the competing technologies? What factors seemed most critical in determining their suitability for different healthcare applications?
- What new insights did you gain into the strengths and limitations of different AI technologies? Were there any unexpected aspects of the technologies that influenced your appraisal? What did you learn from these? How did this activity develop your critical appraisal skills in the context of AI? How does the ability to critically appraise AI technologies relate to making informed decisions in future healthcare settings?
- What specific types of AI technologies do you want to learn more about? How will you apply your critical appraisal skills when evaluating new AI solutions in the future? What actions will you take to stay updated on the evolving landscape of AI technologies in healthcare? What resources or support might help you further refine your AI technology appraisal skills?
Beyond action
- Have you reviewed your appraisal of the different AI technologies? Have new AI technologies or updates to the technologies you appraised emerged since you completed this training activity? How does your original appraisal hold up in light of these developments?
- Have you been involved in discussions or decisions about the adoption of AI technologies in your workplace since this training activity? How did your critical appraisal skills developed here influence your contributions? How has this training activity enhanced your general ability to evaluate and compare different technological solutions in healthcare?
- What transferable skills (e.g., critical evaluation, comparative analysis, understanding of AI capabilities) did you develop that will be useful when considering future AI implementations? What further areas of AI technology or specific applications might you want to learn more about based on your appraisal experience?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 2 |
Outcome
Critically appraise the application of AI and machine learning in healthcare. |