Will we still need doctors in the future? Recent advances in artificial intelligence have made it possible to envision the tremendous potential AI has to improve health care. At the same time, it has prompted speculation that the need for certain types of doctors might be greatly reduced.
Ravi David Yarid, DO, an assistant professor of osteopathic manipulative medicine at 黑料传送门 Georgia, is currently exploring ways to incorporate AI into medical education. Part of that exercise is considering how this technology might impact the future of osteopathic medicine.
鈥�AI is a tool that is going to bring about change,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hich direction that change goes is where people are willing to be led.鈥�
Yarid acknowledges that generative AI has the potential to reduce the need for healthcare providers, with certain areas being particularly at risk. In 10-20 years, Yarid projects radiology, pathology, and dermatology will be radically changed. Primary care providers will be able to care for more patients. Shifts will occur in all fields.
But when that happens, he speculates, it will be because the practice of medicine has advanced to the point where the focus will be more on quality of life and illness prevention than treatment of disease.
鈥淎I has the potential to listen to your heart and lungs and tell you all kinds of things that our ears can't even pick up,鈥� Yarid said. 鈥淎I is going to assist in all of these areas.鈥�
AI can help improve patient care in many ways, although it still has its limitations. One of these limitations is AI鈥檚 inability to examine a patient using palpation.
During a physical examination, healthcare providers use their hands and fingers to feel various body parts. This helps the provider evaluate organs and tissues. This hands-on approach allows providers to assess pain, detect abnormalities, and gather other information that aids in diagnosis.
鈥淚 believe palpation is the single greatest application of osteopathy that we train our students in and that should become a priority again,鈥� Yarid said.
During medical school, doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) students receive additional training in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). DOs use OMM to examine patients and determine if osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) can be used to help the patient.
鈥淎t this point, AI cannot feel somatic dysfunction in your head, in your arms, in your legs鈥攁ll over,鈥� Yarid said. 鈥淲e are going to have an explosion of what osteopathy actually is inside of this AI revolution.鈥�
Yarid believes the osteopathic focus on palpation鈥攗sing the hands to diagnose injury and illness鈥攃ould give DOs an advantage over allopathic doctors.
In September of 2023, Yarid outlined what he termed 鈥淭he rebirth of osteopathy鈥� during a presentation to the . The purpose of the ECOP, in part, is to discuss ideas pertaining to the teaching of osteopathic principles and practices and to present recommendations for curriculum improvements for the member institutions of the
Yarid is advocating for immediate action incorporating AI into osteopathic medical education and practice.
During medical school, Yarid sees AI being used to 鈥渟upercharge鈥� student learning through constant, evolving student assessment, continuous faculty feedback, and objective data evaluated in real-time. In addition to the academic enhancements, Yarid believes AI could be used for physical and emotional health monitoring and assistance.
As students progress into rotations and ultimately practice, AI could provide assistance integrating osteopathic principles and practice and OMM. Continuing medical education would be a seamless continuation of the learning process.
All participating osteopathic provider findings would be collected, evaluated and shared. AI could then be used to provide diagnostic assistance within an OMM context.
By embracing and incorporating AI throughout the osteopathic profession, Yarid projects DOs will have the primary advantage as medical providers of the future.
鈥淲e are poised to never need to fight for equality again,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have data. And with AI, we scrub charts that contain all the data and finally put our money where our mouth is and say 鈥楬ere's the actual evidence of superior patient outcomes鈥�. If we commit to fully engage AI to enhance what we have already built, osteopathy will rise to the forefront and lead healthcare forward to a new level.鈥�