Evaluating Medical Students' Perceptions of AI-Assisted Clinical Documentation (CarePilot): Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into health care to streamline documentation and improve clinician efficiency. AI-powered documentation tools, such as CarePilot, may reduce administrative burdens and help mitigate burnout. However, their usability and perceived value among medical trainees remain underexplored.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate medical students' perceptions of usability, efficiency, and satisfaction when using an AI-powered documentation system in a simulated clinical setting.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University. A total of 44 third- and fourth-year medical students participated in a standardized patient encounter for a headache. Using CarePilot, participants documented patient history, physical examination findings, clinical reasoning, and management decisions. Afterward, they completed a 27-item Likert scale survey assessing ease of use, documentation efficiency, organization, and overall satisfaction.

RESULTS

The majority of respondents rated ease of use, learnability, interface likability, and documentation organization positively (with over 75% of respondents reporting satisfaction for each item). However, a subset reported neutral or dissatisfied opinions regarding overall satisfaction (13/44, 29.5%), citing workflow interruptions and limited functionality that could affect patient interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

CarePilot was generally perceived as user-friendly and effective for organizing documentation. Nonetheless, areas for refinement, particularly workflow integration and expanded functionalities, may enhance satisfaction and clinical applicability. These findings inform future design and implementation strategies for AI-powered documentation tools in health care education and beyond.