New Doctors Emphasized on AI Skills

At the second convocation ceremony of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS
Mangalagiri), attended by prominent dignitaries and graduating medical students, the
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, delivered a powerful
message about the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The minister
underscored that healthcare is undergoing a profound transformation and that AI has become
an indispensable part of modern medical practice — not as a replacement for human
clinicians, but as a critical tool to enhance their capabilities.

Patel emphasised that AI literacy is now a necessity for young doctors entering the
profession. With rapid advancements in diagnostics, treatment planning, and public health
analytics, AI technologies are increasingly integrated into everyday clinical workflows.
According to her, mastering these technologies can significantly reduce workload, improve
diagnostic accuracy, and free up doctors’ time to focus on complex clinical decision-making
and patient care. She made it clear that AI tools are meant to assist healthcare professionals
rather than replace them, combining computational precision with the irreplaceable human
qualities of empathy and ethical judgement.

The convocation addressed not just the transformative potential of AI but also the broader
evolution of India’s healthcare landscape. Patel celebrated strides toward universal health
coverage, framing AI as a powerful enabler in expanding access and quality of care across
diverse settings. She reminded graduates that completing their MBBS degrees represents the
beginning of lifelong learning, particularly in a field that evolves as rapidly as medicine and
technology.

Education Minister Nara Lokesh, who was present as the guest of honour, echoed these views
by stressing that while technology can enhance healthcare delivery, empathy and humane
patient interaction must remain central to medical practice — qualities that no machine
can replicate.
In essence, the address at AIIMS Mangalagiri’s convocation highlighted a critical shift in
medical education and professional expectations: today’s doctors must not only be skilled
clinicians but also tech-savvy professionals prepared to harness AI responsibly and
ethically in service of patient welfare.