Educators weigh how to use AI without losing critical thinking

Greater productivity is not necessarily indicative of greater knowledge.

By
Julia Cipriano, MS, CMPP
September 10, 2026
8 min

MDSpire News

Objective:

To discuss how health-care education should adapt to the integration of AI in clinical practice, as highlighted in a panel discussion at the Cleveland Clinic A.I. Summit.

Approach:

Panel Discussion: Moderated by Dr. James Stoller, featuring insights from Lisa Christensen and Dr. Travis Zack on the implications of AI in medical education.

Key Findings:

AI facilitates easier access to information, necessitating a stronger focus on human reasoning skills in medical education.
A 'teach for transfer' approach is recommended to help learners apply knowledge in varied contexts.
Concerns about 'deskilling' and 'never skilling' highlight the need for foundational reasoning skills alongside AI use.
Active engagement with AI tools can enhance learning and critical thinking rather than replace it.
AI systems should be designed to support cognitive development and encourage critical evaluation of outputs.

Interpretation:

The integration of AI in healthcare necessitates a shift in educational strategies to ensure that clinicians maintain critical thinking and reasoning skills while effectively utilizing AI tools.

Limitations:

The discussion does not provide empirical data to support the proposed educational strategies.
Potential ethical concerns regarding surveillance and data use in AI learning tools are acknowledged.