Teaching cross-cultural design thinking for healthcare

OBJECTIVES: Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform breast cancer care. However, most scientists, engineers, and clinicians are not prepared to contribute to the AI revolution in healthcare. In this paper, we describe our experiences teaching a new undergraduate course for American students that aims to prepare the next generation for cross-cultural designthinking, which we believe is crucial for AI to achieve its full potential in breast cancer care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The key course activities are planning, conducting, and interpreting interviews of healthcare professionals from both Portugal and the United States. Since the course is offered as a short-term faculty-led study abroad program in Portugal, students are able to explore the impact of culture on healthcare delivery and the design of healthcare technologies. RESULTS: The learning assessments demonstrated student growth in several areas pertinent for future development of AI for breast cancer care. With respect to understanding breast cancer care, prior to taking this course, most students had underestimated the impact of cancer and its treatment on women’s quality of life and most were unaware of the importance of multidisciplinary care teams. Regarding AI in medicine, students became more mindful of data privacy issues and the need to consider the effect of AI on healthcare professionals. CONCLUSION: This course illustrates the potential benefits for AI in medicine of introducing future scientists, engineers, and clinicians to cross cultural design-thinking early in their educational experiences.