Artificial Intelligence and the Hidden Curriculum in Medical Education: Balancing Technological Innovation with Humanistic Values

Mosalanejad, Leili; Darvishi Tafvisi, Mansour

doi:10.30476/ijvlms.2026.107144.1338

Artificial Intelligence and the Hidden Curriculum in Medical Education: Balancing Technological Innovation with Humanistic Values

Articles in Press

Document Type : Commentary

Authors

leili Mosalanejad ¹

Mansour Darvishi Tafvisi ²

¹ Medical Education Department, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran

² Medical Ethics and Health philosophy Group, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

10.30476/ijvlms.2026.107144.1338

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into medical education, transforming teaching, learning, and assessment. While its benefits, such as personalized learning, simulation-based learning, and data-driven feedback, are well established, its effects on the hidden curriculum are less explored. The hidden curriculum encompasses implicit values, norms, and behaviors transmitted through learning environments. The hidden curriculum is defined as the implicit values, norms, and behaviors that are transmitted through learning environments. In this article, the intersection of AI and the hidden curriculum in medical education is critically examined, with associated risks analyzed and strategies for human-centered integration proposed. Drawing on existing literature and conceptual analysis, risks such as dehumanization, reinforcement of bias, and erosion of soft skills are examined, alongside the potential for enhanced learning. Strategies for human-centered AI integration are recommended, and critical AI literacy, empathy-based education, and interprofessional collaboration are advocated to preserve the humanistic nature of medical education.

Highlights

Leili Mosalanejad (Google Scholar)

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence

Education

Medical

Hidden Curriculum

Empathy

Ethics

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