NEWS
MEDICAL SCHOOLS TO INTEGRATE AI AND DATA SCIENCE SKILLS INTO EDUCATION
The Medical Schools Council ( MSC ) and Health Data Research UK ( HDR UK ) have released a report that outlines essential data science expertise needed to meet the demands of the 21st-century healthcare landscape . Titled Data Science in the Medical Curriculum : Equipping Medical Students for the Digital Age , the report highlights the value of incorporating AI , machine learning , and data analytics into medical education .
There is broad recognition of the critical role that data science plays in transforming medicine and its potential to enhance healthcare delivery . The UK government has recently outlined plans to harness technology and AI to revolutionise public services , including the NHS , with significant investment to support these efforts .
As healthcare becomes more data-intensive , it is essential that medical graduates possess the core competencies necessary to excel in this evolving environment . The rapid expansion of healthcare data – ranging from electronic health records to large-scale disease tracking datasets – offers opportunities to improve patient outcomes , optimise resource management , reduce costs , and drive innovation , ultimately leading to a more efficient , effective , and accessible NHS .
The report highlights the key competencies that graduating doctors must possess , including health informatics , artificial intelligence , data governance , and the ethical , professional , legal , and regulatory considerations surrounding digital health . These timely recommendations come at a pivotal moment , as medical educators worldwide consider the skills and knowledge essential for practising cutting-edge medicine in the years ahead .
NEW LOW-COST TOOL COULD TRANSFORM TYPE 2 DIABETES TREATMENT
Researchers part-funded by the NIHR have developed an innovative way of identifying the most effective glucoselowering drugs for people with type 2 diabetes .
Keeping blood glucose levels in a safe range can be challenging , with only about a third of people with type 2 diabetes meeting targets . Diabetes-related complications devastate lives and cost the UK healthcare system £ 6.2 billion every year . There is an urgent need for new approaches to improve blood glucose management .
Modelling showed that starting people on the drug recommended by the new tool could lead to marked reductions in blood glucose levels after one year , of around 5mmol / mol on average . These improvements could approximately double the time until people need to start taking further diabetes medications .
The tool ’ s use was also predicted to lower the risks of developing serious long-term diabetes complications , including heart attacks , strokes and kidney disease . Because it uses routinely collected clinical information , the tool offers a low-cost , practical solution that could transform treatment .
The tool ’ s performance in clinical practice is currently being assessed in 22,500 patients with type 2 diabetes across Scotland , which will inform its roll-out across the UK and globally .
Dr John Dennis , Associate Professor at the University of Exeter who led the study , said : “ We have developed a completely new personalised approach for diabetes treatment , that could benefit everyone with type 2 diabetes in the UK and worldwide . For the first time , our model allows people living with type 2 diabetes to quickly identify the best treatment to manage their blood sugar levels , helping reduce their risk of diabetes complications . This offers a major advance on the current approach to choosing diabetes medications .”
6 www . intelligenthealth . tech