Medical students today are in a unique and uncharted position: Every time they turn in a paper or exam, they're under a cloud of suspicion that they might have used ChatGPT to help them complete the assignment. The emergence of artificial intelligence tools has created conflicts between colleges and students in every discipline around academic misconduct, but the stakes are especially high for medical students.

Medical schools are struggling to draw the fine line between using AI technology as a research or study tool and using it to plagiarize work on exams and term papers. If you're a medical student charged with using ChatGPT to write exams or papers, make sure you understand your school's guidelines for disciplinary actions and possible outcomes that could make a difference in your future.

A Student Aid or Ailment?

Medical students are using AI tools like ChatGPT to break down complex concepts, so they're easier to understand. AI can also be a study aid for medical exams. In a study conducted earlier this year, ChatGPT passed the US Medical Licensing Exam, achieving 60 percent accuracy. But because ChatGPT output is notoriously rife with errors, medical schools remain skeptical of its use and, for the most part, insist that students do their own work.

If ChatGPT or a similar AI tool looks like it might be helpful to you, make absolutely sure there is a firm understanding between you and your professor about what kind of use they'll permit and what they won't. Is it ok to use AI to help with research or studying? How should you acknowledge its use? Are there some assignments where it's permissible to submit an AI-generated product? You've worked hard to get into medical school, and these tools should only enhance your learning experience, not bring it into question.

You've Been Accused, Now What?

If you've been accused of using ChatGPT on a medical school exam or paper, you can expect a disciplinary hearing to take place according to school policy. The hearing could include a panel of faculty or administrative staff who will decide whether you will be found in violation of your school's code of conduct or be vindicated.

Understanding your rights and how to fight these accusations can help avoid long-term sanctions that could affect your bright future. These can include:

• Disciplinary or academic probation
• Suspension
• Expulsion
• Loss of a scholarship

Get the Lento Law Firm on Your Side

If you've been accused of using AI on a medical school exam or term paper, you don't have to go through the process on your own. Joseph D. Lento and the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm are here to ensure the school honors your rights to due process and a fair hearing, and help you achieve the best possible outcome.

National Education Attorney-Advisor Joseph D. Lento is a seasoned student discipline lawyer whose Student Defense Team has helped hundreds of medical students navigate setbacks at their institutions. Find out how they can help you, too. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686, or contact them online to schedule your consultation.