Miller School of Medicine Launches Office of AI in Medical Education
Summary
- The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has created the Office of AI in Medical Education to help train medical students in the ethical and thoughtful use of AI.
- The new office will equip faculty with the tools they need to integrate AI into their work.
- Dr. Shirin Shafazand has been appointed as the office’s inaugural faculty director. Dr. Shafazand launched the course, “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Public Health,” in 2025.
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has created the Office of AI in Medical Education, a groundbreaking initiative housed within the Miller School’s Department of Medical Education and developed in collaboration with the Department of Informatics and Health Data Science.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape health care—from predictive analytics to precision medicine—its role in medical education is becoming increasingly vital. AI is enhancing clinical workflows, reducing provider burnout and transforming how future physicians learn, as well as improving clinical decision-making, strengthening patient communication and enabling precision education.
“As AI becomes integrated rapidly with clinical care and care processes become more efficient, there will be more time for physicians to communicate and care for their patients in a more humane manner, with AI as their intelligent assistant, with the most up-to-date knowledge at its fingertips,” said Latha Chandran, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., the Miller School’s executive dean for education. “That aligns perfectly with the Miller School’s mission and will continue to be a primary driver in our student curriculum.”
A Vision for the Future of Medical Education
The new Office of AI in Medical Education will:
• Train medical students in the ethical and thoughtful use of AI
• Empower faculty with tools and strategies for AI integration
• Drive innovation in AI-enhanced learning
• Measure the impact of AI on medical education outcomes
Shirin Shafazand, M.D., M.S., a Miller School professor of clinical medicine, has been appointed as the office’s inaugural faculty director. Dr. Shafazand is board-certified in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, and holds a master’s degree in health services research from Stanford University. She has led the Miller School’s M.D./M.P.H. program, taught courses in epidemiology, health policy and leadership, and mentored students in population health and community outreach. In 2025, she launched the course, “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Public Health,” which has already made a significant impact.
“The new Office of AI in Medical Education puts the University of Miami at the forefront of nationwide discussions on how best to incorporate AI tools into medical education,” said Dr. Shafazand. “There are important questions to ask and answer. How should AI be taught? When should students be introduced to these tools? And how can we ensure their ethical and effective use? It is the aim of this office to prepare learners for a data-driven world where they can enhance patient care, improve provider well-being and optimize health system operations.”
David Thole, a senior software architect, will serve as technical director. With a background in machine learning and a decade of experience across academic and industry sectors, Thole specializes in large language models (LLMs), model validation and AI system integration. His expertise will be instrumental in aligning cutting-edge technologies with the school’s educational mission.
“With these visionary leaders at the helm, the Miller School is poised to lead the nation in advancing AI in medical education,” said Dr. Chandran.
AI and Technology at the Miller School
The creation of the Office of AI in Medical Education continues the Miller School’s forward-thinking use and consideration of contemporary technology to train future doctors.
• Dr. Shafazand’s aforementioned AI elective is equipping M.D./M.P.H. students with essential knowledge of machine learning, natural language processing and prompt engineering. Students explored the ethical, regulatory and technical dimensions of AI, culminating in hands-on projects such as building AI agents.
• In a recent study published in NEJM AI, a physician, an ethicist and a medical student from the Miller School evaluated how effectively AI chatbots handle ethical dilemmas in clinical scenarios. The research highlighted both the promise and limitations of AI tools in navigating complex medical ethics, emphasizing the need for thoughtful oversight and integration.
Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, Department of Informatics and Health Data Science, Department of Medical Education, Dr. Latha Chandran, Dr. Shirin Shafazand, medical education, technology