Proposing core competencies for physicians in using artificial intelligence tools in clinical practice

Ian A Scott; Tim Shaw; Christine Slade; Tai Tak Wan; Rahul Barmanray; Craig Coorey; Sandra Lj Johnson; Lana Bell; Michael Herd; Clair M Sullivan

doi:10.1111/imj.70112

Proposing core competencies for physicians in using artificial intelligence tools in clinical practice

Intern Med J. 2025 Jun 27. doi: 10.1111/imj.70112. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ian A Scott^{1

2}, Tim Shaw³, Christine Slade⁴, Tai Tak Wan⁵, Rahul Barmanray⁶, Craig Coorey⁷, Sandra Lj Johnson⁸, Lana Bell⁹, Michael Herd¹⁰, Clair M Sullivan²

Affiliations

¹ Digital Health and Informatics, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
² Queensland Digital Health Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
³ Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁵ Ambulatory Care, Fairfield Hospital, Prairiewood, New South Wales, Australia.
⁶ General Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Renal Medicine, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁸ Private Practice, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁹ Joondalup Specialist Centre, Joondalup Health Campus, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
¹⁰ Paediatrics and Child Health, Whakatane Hospital, Whakatane, New Zealand.

PMID: 40576330
DOI: 10.1111/imj.70112

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) will likely transform many aspects of healthcare, and physicians will need to adapt and lead. The expanding range of AI tools calls for physicians to become competent in their proper use if we are to achieve better patient experience, population health and health equity, and with greater efficiency, while enhancing physician satisfaction. This viewpoint proposes a practical and manageable set of core competencies for physicians in using AI tools effectively and ethically and suggests methods for acquiring these competencies.

Keywords: artificial intelligence; clinical practice; competencies; core; physicians.