The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the neurology field is quite real, by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, streamlining workflows, and supporting clinical decision-making. AI tools are now being used to detect stroke on imaging, predict disease progression, and analyze EEGs for epilepsy, among others. As AI models continue to improve, their integration into neurology is expected to expand, even in the educational settings.
At the 2025 American Neurological Association (ANA) and Association of University Progressors of Neurology (AUPN) Annual Meetings, expected to take place September 13th and 14th, AI will once again be among the top discussion points. One of the most intriguing sessions, “The New Frontier: Leveraging AI to Enhance Clinical Care and Medical Education,” will feature several moderators, including Elisabeth Marsh, MD; as well as a Chairs Round Table, with some of the most notable academic leaders in neurology.
Marsh, an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins, sat down with NeurologyLive® to preview the session, covering ways AI can enhance clinical care and transforming medical education. In the interview, Marsh discussed the evolving uses of AI in drafting documentation, personalizing education, and alleviating administrative burden for trainees–all while highlighting the need for ethnical oversight. Furthermore, she explored educators can thoughtfully integrate these tools to keep learners engaged without sacrificing foundational medical knowledge.
Registration for the 2025 AUPN Meeting is open! Click here to learn more information about the event.
NeurologyLive: Give more insights on this upcoming session, why should clinicians attend?
Elizabeth Marsh, MD: We’re really excited, with ANA, to be partnering with AUPN on this important hot topic. AI has really become one of the forefront topics in clinical practice, but it also affects research and education, right? Increasingly, we’re trying to figure out how to make it easier for doctors to practice and to better engage with their patients. AI is a tool that now allows us to go into the room and have it listened while we converse with patients, and help us write our notes or complete pre-authorizations, so that we have more time to focus on patient care.
But it’s even more than that. We can use it in research—not only for literature reviews but even to review our own manuscripts. Of course, all of this must be done with a grain of salt. Knowledge is power, and these tools are amazing, but that brings a lot of ethical questions. How much should we be using AI for these tasks? What kind of oversight is needed?
When it comes to education, a lot of these issues really come to the forefront. How can we use AI as a tool to help our learners? Can we design educational programs for them using AI? Can we give them these tools in a way that makes their lives easier—without risking abuse? For this session, we’re hoping to bring together a panel to talk about AI’s use in clinical care, research, and education; to explore future uses we may not even have thought of yet; and to examine the ethical considerations clinicians, researchers, and educators need to keep in mind as the field continues to progress.
What types of skills or educational benefits might attendees gain from this session, specifically from the education side?
As educators, we come at AI from a couple of different perspectives. One is the ability for AI to pull from various resources and help generate personalized learning programs for residents. It can identify where they need help and allow us to tailor education accordingly. That level of personalization is a huge opportunity.
There’s also the matter of teaching residents how to use these tools appropriately. There are AI programs that can search the literature and even pull guidelines to treat a disease. But how do we know they’re pulling from the right resources? Are they reliable? Should they replace traditional book studying? What belongs on board exams now? How much do learners need to memorize versus being able to look up?
These are critical questions. The answer likely lies somewhere in the middle—not at either extreme. Educators need to be thinking deeply about how to blend foundational knowledge with the use of these tools. The world is changing, and we need to keep up while still holding onto the basics.
To those who may be nervous or uncertain about using AI, what message would you send them?
That’s certainly a perspective we need to hear from—because they’re not wrong. We don’t want AI to replace the good foundational learning that exists. But we do need to ask, how can AI augment what we do?
Times are changing. If we don’t evolve with those changes, we risk losing learners. Today’s students don’t want to go back to textbooks after a long call shift. They want sound bites. They want interactive, digestible materials—things AI can help deliver.
So, the question becomes, how do we combine the best of both worlds? How do we take the wisdom and anecdotal experience of seasoned clinicians and package it with new tools that keep learners motivated and engaged? That’s where the future lies.
How should educators think about incorporating AI without it being overwhelming or totally disruptive?
We want to hear from everybody. This isn’t about AI being a train that runs people over. It’s about giving people the tools, skills, and space to think about how to incorporate AI at their own pace. You don’t have to completely revolutionize your practice. Maybe it’s just starting to include small pieces into education, clinical care, or research.
Over time, those small steps evolve into broader change. And throughout that evolution, we must remain mindful of ethical issues and always ask: What’s the impact on learners, on patients, and on outcomes?
What are some specific, attainable takeaways attendees might leave with from this session?
I hope attendees leave with a better awareness of the AI tools that are already available and how they can be used in education, clinical care, and research. I also want them to start imagining how AI might be used in the future. But maybe more importantly, I want to have a conversation—about people’s concerns, about their excitement, and about how we as a field should move forward.
AUPN and ANA are at the forefront of neurology, and we need leading thinkers talking about these issues and shaping what the future looks like. That’s what makes this conference exciting.
Where do you see potential future applications for AI in education settings?
The most obvious use is streamlining tasks that currently take up a lot of our trainees’ time—writing letters, clinic notes, researching guidelines. If we can reduce time spent on those, residents can spend more time with patients and attendings. That’s how real learning happens: one-on-one mentorship, inspiration, and engagement.
If we can remove the administrative burden, we’re going to create a richer educational environment. I’m also excited about bringing in panelists who may have ideas for even more innovative, interactive applications in the future. There’s so much potential ahead.
Transcript edited for clarity.