AUA Faculty Publishes Innovative AI-Focused Study in Top-Tier Journal JMIR Medical Education 

Antigua, June 2025 — American University of Antigua College of Medicine (AUA) proudly announces the publication of a groundbreaking study in JMIR Medical Education, a Q1-ranked, peer-reviewed journal with an impact factor of 3.2. This collaborative research explores the innovative use of large language models—such as ChatGPT—to simulate patient interactions in medical education, providing an alternative solution to the limited availability of live simulated patients. 

The study was co-designed by Dr. Tarron Kayalackakom, Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean of AI in Medical Education, 10 current AUA faculty, and a former AUA faculty member. Together, they led the initiative to examine medical students’ perceptions of AI-driven simulations as a supplemental learning tool. 

“This publication was truly a team effort, benefiting immensely from the invaluable contributions of my colleagues. Special thanks go to Dr. Raymond E Robinson, Dr. Andrea Vaughans, and Dr. Ricardo Hood, whose insightful input and dedicated involvement significantly elevated the quality and impact of our work,” said Dr. Tarron Kayalackakom, one of the study’s lead contributors. 

“Additionally, sincere appreciation to Dr. Sumanth Devaraju, Dr. Courtney Lewis, and Dr. Prasanna Honnavar for their substantial support throughout this project. I’d also like to acknowledge the meaningful participation and contributions of Dr. Roopa Sebastian, Dr. Sheetal Naik, Dr. Jillwin Joseph, and Dr. Nikhilesh Anand, whose collaborative efforts were instrumental in bringing this study to fruition,” continued Dr. Kayalackakom. 

The project was hands-on and collaborative—from securing IRB approval to designing AI prompts, conducting interviews, and revising the manuscript following peer review. The final publication positions AUA as a leader in exploring the ethical and pedagogical applications of AI in medical education. 

“At AUA, we believe in challenging the boundaries of traditional education,” said Dr. Kayalackakom. “This project is an exciting example of how technology, when thoughtfully applied, can enhance learning outcomes and better prepare our students for real-world clinical encounters.” 

The research builds upon prior work from AUA faculty, including a 2023 publication in Cureus that examined faculty use of AI tools—a study that has since garnered widespread citation. Plans are now underway for a mixed-methods, multi-center follow-up study in collaboration with several medical schools in the U.S. and Canada. 

Special recognition goes to the following 11 current faculty in addition to one former AUA faculty member for their invaluable contributions: 

• Tarron Kayalackakom, MD 

• Raymond E. Robinson, MPH, MBA, MD, EdS 

• Andrea Vaughans, MD 

• Roopa Sebastian, MSc, PhD 

• Ricardo Hood, MD 

• Courtney Lewis, MD 

• Sumanth Devaraju, MD 

• Prasanna Honnavar, PhD 

• Sheetal Naik, MD 

• Jillwin Joseph, PhD 

• Nikhilesh Anand, MD 

“We are incredibly proud of the faculty who contributed to this important research,” said Dr. Peter Bell, President of AUA. “Their work represents AUA’s commitment to fostering innovation in medical education and preparing students to lead in an increasingly digital healthcare landscape.” 

For more information on this publication or to collaborate on future research, please contact the AUA Office of Faculty Affairs and Research.