Knowledge, Attitudes, and Readiness toward Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: A Cross‑Sectional Study among Italian Medical Students with a Focus on Legal Medicine

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Readiness toward Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: A Cross‑Sectional Study among Italian Medical Students with a Focus on Legal Medicine | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Knowledge, Attitudes, and Readiness toward Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: A Cross‑Sectional Study among Italian Medical Students with a Focus on Legal Medicine Paolo Visci, Gianmarco Sirago, Francesco Lupelli, Biagio Solarino, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8959011/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract 1.1 Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare systems and medical education worldwide. Despite increasing exposure to AI tools, the level of knowledge, attitudes, and educational readiness among medical students remains heterogeneous across countries. Evidence from Italy is currently limited and based on small or non‑validated samples. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and educational needs regarding AI among medical students, with a specific focus on forensic medicine applications. 1.2 Methods A cross‑sectional survey was conducted among medical students enrolled at the University of Bari, Italy, between September and November 2025. A structured questionnaire integrating a previously validated international instrument with a newly developed forensic medicine module was administered using a hybrid digital and paper-based strategy. The final survey included 64 items across six domains. Exploratory factor analysis was performed for the newly developed forensic section. Group differences by gender and academic stage were assessed using non‑parametric tests. Participation was voluntary and anonymous, and ethical approval was obtained from the local ethics committee. 1.3 Results A total of 323 valid responses were analyzed. Students demonstrated limited self‑reported technical knowledge of AI (mean score 2.66/5) but expressed a positive overall attitude toward AI integration in healthcare (mean 3.72/5). Perceptions were particularly favorable regarding forensic medicine applications (mean 3.84/5). Sixty‑five percent of respondents reported no formal AI education within the curriculum despite strong interest in structured training. Gender comparisons revealed significantly higher knowledge and attitude scores among male students, while attitudes toward forensic AI did not differ significantly. No meaningful differences emerged between pre‑clinical and clinical students, suggesting limited curricular influence. 1.4 Conclusions Italian medical students show strong optimism toward AI alongside modest technical preparedness, highlighting a structural gap between expectations and formal education. The particularly positive perception of AI in forensic medicine suggests that students recognize its value in structured and data‑driven medical domains. Integrating AI literacy, clinical applications, and ethical‑legal competencies into undergraduate medical curricula appears essential to promote critical and responsible adoption of AI technologies in future clinical practice. Artificial Intelligence Medical Education Medical Students AI Readiness Attitudes toward AI Forensic Medicine Questionnaire Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supplementaryfiles.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 06 May, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 03 May, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 04 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 04 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 26 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8959011","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":635275858,"identity":"d53fa1c8-2f98-4d5e-83b9-391c7cf7e586","order_by":0,"name":"Paolo 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Education","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Artificial Intelligence, Medical Education, Medical Students, AI Readiness, Attitudes toward AI, Forensic Medicine, Questionnaire","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8959011/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8959011/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003e1.1 Background\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eArtificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare systems and medical education worldwide. Despite increasing exposure to AI tools, the level of knowledge, attitudes, and educational readiness among medical students remains heterogeneous across countries. Evidence from Italy is currently limited and based on small or non‑validated samples. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and educational needs regarding AI among medical students, with a specific focus on forensic medicine applications.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003e1.2 Methods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA cross‑sectional survey was conducted among medical students enrolled at the University of Bari, Italy, between September and November 2025. A structured questionnaire integrating a previously validated international instrument with a newly developed forensic medicine module was administered using a hybrid digital and paper-based strategy. The final survey included 64 items across six domains. Exploratory factor analysis was performed for the newly developed forensic section. Group differences by gender and academic stage were assessed using non‑parametric tests. Participation was voluntary and anonymous, and ethical approval was obtained from the local ethics committee.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003e1.3 Results\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 323 valid responses were analyzed. Students demonstrated limited self‑reported technical knowledge of AI (mean score 2.66/5) but expressed a positive overall attitude toward AI integration in healthcare (mean 3.72/5). Perceptions were particularly favorable regarding forensic medicine applications (mean 3.84/5). Sixty‑five percent of respondents reported no formal AI education within the curriculum despite strong interest in structured training. Gender comparisons revealed significantly higher knowledge and attitude scores among male students, while attitudes toward forensic AI did not differ significantly. No meaningful differences emerged between pre‑clinical and clinical students, suggesting limited curricular influence.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003e1.4 Conclusions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eItalian medical students show strong optimism toward AI alongside modest technical preparedness, highlighting a structural gap between expectations and formal education. The particularly positive perception of AI in forensic medicine suggests that students recognize its value in structured and data‑driven medical domains. Integrating AI literacy, clinical applications, and ethical‑legal competencies into undergraduate medical curricula appears essential to promote critical and responsible adoption of AI technologies in future clinical practice.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Knowledge, Attitudes, and Readiness toward Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: A Cross‑Sectional Study among Italian Medical Students with a Focus on Legal Medicine","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-11 08:30:19","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8959011/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"148918789341478302917574024435919378046","date":"2026-05-06T07:22:01+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-05-03T19:18:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-04T14:51:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-04T13:39:10+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Medical Education","date":"2026-02-26T10:12:40+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-medical-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"meed","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Medical Education](http://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/meed/default.aspx","title":"BMC Medical Education","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"e10fe6c9-07d9-4e84-b47d-5ed116d5c01f","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 11th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"148918789341478302917574024435919378046","date":"2026-05-06T07:22:01+00:00","index":31,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"12","date":"2026-05-03T19:18:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-11T08:30:19+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-11 08:30:19","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8959011","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8959011","identity":"rs-8959011","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}