A new five-year MD/MS program combining medicine and artificial intelligence launched by UT Health San Antonio and The University of Texas at San Antonio is the first known program of its kind. The goal of the program is to enable physicians to lead in the practical use of artificial intelligence to improve diagnostic and treatment outcomes.
“This unique partnership promises to offer groundbreaking innovation that will lead to new therapies and treatments to improve health and quality of life,” said UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken. “We’re justifiably proud of the pioneering work being done at UTSA and UT Health San Antonio to educate and equip future medical practitioners on how to best harness the opportunities – and address the challenges – that AI will present for the field of health care in the years to come.”
The World Economic Forum predicts that AI could enhance the patient experience by reducing wait times and improving efficiency in hospital health systems and by aggregating information from multiple sources to predict patient care. AI is also affecting administrative online scheduling and appointment check-ins, reminder calls for follow-ups and digitized medical records.
The new collaboration between the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) and the University College at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has been years in the making, developers say.
In 2021, a pilot program introduced to UT Health San Antonio medical students accepted 2 applicants into the MD/MS program for fall 2023. They are projected to graduate in the spring of 2024.