How AI will reshape healthcare careers?

AI not only aids doctors in content creation for seminars and conferences but also automates numerous repetitive tasks within healthcare settings. | Photo: iStock/ Getty Images

The integration of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the healthcare sector is revolutionising medical careers across various dimensions. This technology has demonstrated its potential by generating medical images, assisting in drug design, and streamlining documentation processes. Medical professionals can now quickly access reliable information for patient consultations, academic discussions, or professional development, enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness.

To explore these advancements further, The Hindu hosted a live webinar titled ‘How AI Will Reshape Healthcare Careers’ on March 29, 2025. Panellists including Dr. P.R. Sodani, President, IHMR University; Dr. Purav Gandhi, Founder and CEO, Healthark; Dr. Sudeshna Ray, Associate Director, Department of OB-GYN, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai shared insights on how AI is currently being utilised in healthcare institutions. They also discussed necessary upskilling for future professionals entering this evolving landscape.

Dr. Sudeshna Ray talked about important benefits AI is bringing to diagnostics. For instance, AI algorithms built into the ultrasound machine are giving advance warning of possible problems in the fetus in the third trimester based on ultrasound scans in the first trimester. She also talked about how AI is helping to achieve better results in robotic surgery, while adding the obvious advantages such as handling the paperwork of doctors, preparing presentations and so on.

AI is set to transform day-to-day aspects of healthcare in a phased manner. This involves how medicines are being discovered, how medicines are being manufactured, how tests are done, how doctors prescribe medication, how they counsel their patients, and more. “One can say that AI will replace these healthcare practitioners, but that’s not the case. AI is playing a role in terms of bringing care back to healthcare. Whether it is a doctor or a nurse or a counselor, instead of having to spend valuable time on paperwork, they will be able to free up that time for patient visits”, said Dr. Gandhi.

Generative AI supports data summarisation by extracting essential points from research papers and clinical guidelines. It not only aids doctors in content creation for seminars and conferences but also automates numerous repetitive tasks within healthcare settings. For instance, generative AI can engage with patients to educate them about care protocols like insulin dosage and storage. Additionally, it accelerates the approval process for insurance paperwork, allowing practitioners to dedicate more time to critical patient interactions instead of administrative tasks.

Participants in the webinar raised several questions on data privacy concerns. Since AI thrives on data, they wanted to know if the data being collected by various instruments stay within the hospital or are relayed to the parent company outside India. Dr. Gandhi clarified that the Indian Council of Medical Relations is coming up with data privacy guidelines. He cited the case of the U.S. where several identifiers are removed before the data is used and said hospitals should be aware of these concerns and address them while purchasing AI-driven equipment.

Dr. P.R. Sodani brings over two decades of experience as a health economist and educator focused on public health education while Dr. Purav Gandhi offers expertise in strategy and digital transformation within healthcare analytics at his consulting firm Healthark.

The panel addressed essential topics such as the deployment of AI technologies across hospitals, requisite skills for emerging healthcare roles influenced by these technologies, as well as industry-aligned courses available for aspiring professionals.

In conclusion, as generative AI continues to enhance productivity within health systems while improving patient outcomes through streamlined processes and personalised care approaches, it sets a promising trajectory for future careers in healthcare — a field that demands adaptability amidst rapid technological advancement.