Interview: AI in Medical Studies – Your Mental Companion and Digital Study Buddy

When the human brain hits its limit, studying medicine can quickly get overwhelming—especially before oral exams where entire organ systems must be memorized, pathological connections comprehended, and Latin terms flawlessly recited. In these stressful moments, artificial intelligence (AI) can serve not just as a helpful tool, but almost as a training partner.

We spoke to a 23-year-old medical student currently in her fifth semester at the University of Pécs. She has fully integrated AI into her regular study routine. In our interview, she explains how AI supports her not just in reviewing course material, but also in reducing mental stress—and where she draws the line.

Editor: Do you use AI tools in your studies?

Student: Yes, definitely. I use ChatGPT pretty much every day—it has become a standard part of how I study. I rely on it heavily, especially before oral exams. I upload my lecture notes and simulate an exam conversation with the AI. I ask questions, get explanations, or double-check that I've truly understood something. It feels like talking to a patient tutor who never gets tired of explaining something for the third time in a row. This gives me a lot of confidence because I immediately see whether I have simply memorized content or if I've truly grasped it. It also reduces exam anxiety, as it feels like practicing the real thing—just digitally.

Editor: What are some typical tasks where AI supports you?

Student: On one hand, AI helps me tremendously in understanding complicated concepts and logical connections. Medical study materials can often be very technical or difficult to read—at times I quickly lose track. In such situations, I simply ask the AI to explain the topic clearly, and suddenly, everything makes sense. This saves me not just time, but also stress.

Additionally, I use AI when researching for scientific papers. It helps me quickly identify relevant sources or structure long texts. Another handy use is turning old exam questions from PDFs directly into Anki flashcards automatically. It's a huge time saver—and honestly, it's motivating because you immediately notice how much material you can process in a short time. During busy study periods, it gives me a sense of control again.

Editor: Has the AI changed how you approach studying?

Student: Absolutely. I'm much more efficient now. Before, I'd spend countless hours surfing various websites to try and find a decent explanation. Now, I get it within seconds. I also study more structured, because I can ask targeted questions that directly relate to my notes.

Editor: What other AI tools are you aware of?

Student: ChatGPT is my main tool, for sure. Other than that, I've heard of Anki Buddy, often advertised on Instagram—it looks helpful. I've also seen ads for other AI tools, but honestly, I haven't memorized their names. There are just so many offerings now that it's easy to lose track. So far, I haven't tried any other tool yet. I'm a bit cautious about it—I prefer integrating things that genuinely improve my study process, rather than just playing around with them briefly. Who knows, maybe I'll give them a shot during the next exam period when things get stressful again and every bit of help is welcome.

Editor: Overall, how do you see the use of AI in studying?

Student: Generally, I think it's great—provided you know how to deal with AI properly. You can't take everything the AI suggests at face value. If you're aware it sometimes makes errors and remain critically reflective, it becomes a super powerful study tool.

Editor: Can AI be effectively integrated into medical studies specifically?

Student: Definitely. Medicine is incredibly extensive, so any support is welcome—especially if it helps prevent feeling completely overwhelmed. AI often works quicker than textbooks and frequently provides surprisingly clear explanations. But crucially, you shouldn't see it as a substitute for proper learning—it's more a supportive aid. Learning how to ask the right questions—or giving effective prompts—is also essential; otherwise, you'll just receive superficial answers. I notice that using AI regularly forces me to think more precisely. Even our professors now say: "Go ahead, use AI—but understand what you're doing." And I totally agree.

Editor: What risks do you see?

Student: I think the biggest risk is becoming overly reliant on AI-generated answers. You must always think critically and question things yourself. Just unthinkingly accepting information won't end well, especially in medicine.

Editor: Regarding ethics—how far is it okay to go?

Student: Personally, I think using AI during your degree is completely okay, as long as you're honest about your own work. Your ideas, understanding, and critical thinking must remain your own. Not everyone is naturally gifted at writing or expressing themselves perfectly, so if AI helps you phrase things better, that's totally legitimate. It's progress, and it's also a way of leveling opportunities. But again, it’s essential to thoroughly understand and verify the content. After all, what's the point of submitting a completely self-written text that sounds brilliant stylistically but is medically incorrect?

Editor: How should plagiarism be handled?

Student: Clearly, the risk increases when AI provides content that might resemble existing sources too closely. But tracing back exactly where content comes from isn't always easy—that complicates regulation.

Editor: What would your ideal AI tool do for your studies?

Student: I'd love an AI capable of handling massive files without limitations. Medical studies often come with extensive lecture notes, and it’d be a dream if you could upload everything at once and instantly generate accurate summaries—not just basic overviews, but flexible ones at various levels of detail, depending on how deeply I'm studying.

It would also be helpful if an AI could simulate oral exams realistically—not just asking basic exam questions, but following up critically just like a real examiner, pointing out where your answers might be too shallow.

Plus, visuals! I'd love an AI able to create clear, visually appealing anatomical illustrations, diagrams, or mind maps. Visual aids significantly help my learning process.

And don’t forget clear, well-structured tables—comparing diseases, symptoms, diagnostics, or treatment options. Putting such things together manually takes up an enormous amount of time.

Editor: Any other wishes?

Student: Ordering food for me! No, just kidding. But what would be incredibly useful is if the AI could transcribe lecture audio and integrate these notes seamlessly with the presentation slides. Ideally, I could upload everything after a lecture and get a complete, interactive study package immediately. I’d also appreciate if an AI could build a realistic, customized study schedule featuring accurate time units, repetitions, and even reminders for short breaks. During exam season, I sometimes really lose track of my study plans.

And though I joked about the meal ordering, honestly, during the most stressful study periods, any extra support helps—whether it's taking care of your next meal or organizing study files.

But one thing I genuinely wish for is AI-based mental wellness support: not overly complicated, just minor things that make a big impact. Daily check-ins such as "How are you feeling today?" or gentle reminders like "Take a short break, breathe deeply." In stressful weeks, simple check-ins about drinking water or moving a bit would help immensely.

Even better would be short mental exercises—two-minute mindfulness routines, quick stretching reminders, or mini-meditations—something gentle to pull you out of that study tunnel momentarily. Medicine is intense, and avoiding burnout is just as important as learning content. AI helping out here would be a tremendous benefit.

Maybe it sounds simple, but during stressful times, even just a short encouraging phrase like “You can do this!”—even digitally—can mean a lot.

Conclusion and Outlook

Our conversation makes clear: AI is much more than just a trendy technology in medical studies today. It's actively used, recommended, but also critically evaluated. For our interviewee, AI has become not just a facilitator of knowledge but a genuine learning companion—helping manage study overload, detect personal knowledge gaps, and ease exam anxiety.

When used consciously and responsibly, AI can improve learning quality and relieve mental strain—particularly in a demanding subject like medicine. At a time when feelings of overload, performance pressure, and emotional exhaustion are all too common, AI's role as a supporter of mental well-being becomes increasingly relevant.

Therefore, the right AI solution can become far more than just a simple learning tool: it turns into a digital study partner, helping students learn content, reminding them to care for themselves—and perhaps even prompting them to breathe deeply right when they need it most.