ChatGPT and the Future of Medical Writing
See also the editorials by Shen et al and Kitamura in this issue.

Dr Som Biswas is a 2nd year fellow in the Department of Pediatric Radiology at the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
Summary
Providing proof, by example, that the future of medical writing is going to be heavily dependent on artificial intelligence and chatbots.
Introduction
As the human author of this article, I would like to state that the majority of this article was written by ChatGPT. Unless otherwise indicated, the headings and subheadings were used as input in its user interface. The editing was then done by me, the human author. Herein, we see that artificial intelligence has come to a level at par, if not above, human authors. The use of chatbots and natural language processing (NLP) technology, such as generative pretrained transformer (GPT), has the potential to revolutionize the field of medical writing, albeit with caution. Some potential applications of GPT in medical writing are listed in the Table.
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What Is ChatGPT?
GPT is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) model developed by the company OpenAI and has been designed to generate human-like text. GPT is a type of language model, which means that it has been trained on a large dataset of text and is able to generate new text that is similar to the text it was trained on. It has been particularly successful in the field of NLP, which involves the development of computer systems that are able to understand, interpret, and generate human language.
GPT is often used in chatbots, which are computer programs that are designed to hold conversations with human users through text or voice input. Chatbots that use GPT are able to generate responses to user questions or prompts that are similar to how a human would respond, making them more effective at simulating human conversation.
What Is Natural Language Processing?
NLP is a field of AI and computer science that focuses on the interaction between computers and human (natural) languages. It involves developing algorithms and systems that can understand, interpret, and generate human language. NLP has a wide range of applications, including machine translation, text summarization, sentiment analysis, and language generation. It is used in a variety of industries, including health care, finance, and customer service, to improve efficiency and automate tasks that involve the processing of human language.
Use of ChatGPT in Medical Writing
The use of chatbots and NLP technology, such as GPT, has the potential to revolutionize the field of medical writing by automating certain tasks and improving the efficiency of the writing process. For example, chatbots that use GPT could be used to extract information from electronic medical records, assist with literature searches, or provide guidance on writing style and formatting. By using chatbots and NLP, medical writers can potentially create more accurate and consistent documents faster and with less effort.
For example, a chatbot trained on medical writing could potentially assist a medical writer by generating draft text for a document based on prompts and requirements provided by the writer. The writer could then review and edit the generated text as needed to ensure accuracy and clarity. Additionally, chatbots and NLP can automate the review and editing process, allowing multiple reviewers to provide feedback and suggestions on a document in real-time, allowing for more efficient collaboration. Overall, the use of these technologies in medical writing has the potential to improve the speed and accuracy of document creation.
ChatGPT’s Essay for Radiology In Training: Perspective Reflecting the Opinion of the Resident or Fellow in Clinical Radiology or Imaging Sciences Encompassing Issues Specific to Trainee Experience in Research, Clinical Practice, Ethics, and Health Policy
As a resident or fellow in clinical radiology or imaging sciences, I have had the opportunity to gain a wide range of skills and knowledge that will be valuable in my future career. One of the most rewarding aspects of my training has been the opportunity to work with patients and to use my knowledge and skills to improve their health and well-being.
One of the challenges of training in radiology is the ever-evolving nature of the field. Technology is constantly advancing, and it is important to stay up to date on the latest techniques and practices. This can be both exciting and overwhelming, as there is always more to learn and new skills to acquire. However, it is also one of the things that makes radiology such a rewarding and dynamic field.
Another challenge of training in radiology is the high level of responsibility that comes with the job. As a radiologist, I will be responsible for making important diagnostic and treatment decisions, and it is crucial that I am able to do so accurately and confidently. This requires not only a strong foundation in medical knowledge, but also the ability to think critically and to communicate effectively with patients and other health care professionals.
Despite these challenges, I am confident that my training in radiology will prepare me for a rewarding and fulfilling career. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with experienced radiologists and other health care professionals, and I am excited to continue learning and growing as a clinician. Overall, my training in radiology has been an enriching and rewarding experience, and I am excited to see where it will take me in the future.
Will ChatGPT Replace Human Medical Writer?
However, it is important to note that language models such as chatGPT are not yet able to fully replace human medical writers, as they do not have the same level of understanding and expertise in the field of medicine. In addition, the use of language models in medical writing raises ethical concerns, such as the potential for errors or biases in the generated text. It will be important for organizations and individuals using language models in medical writing to carefully consider these issues and ensure that the quality and accuracy of the documents produced are maintained. Medical writers will still be responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the information being communicated, as well as adhering to ethical and regulatory guidelines.
Cautions from the Human Author
This section was written by the human author. The following are several concerns that arise with use of ChatGPT or other AI-powered language models in the writing process.
Ethics
The use of AI in writing raises concerns about authorship and accountability for the content that is generated. Although ChatGPT generates articles that have less plagiarism, they are not completely free of it and require editing by human authors. Also, letters of recommendation and personal statements based on works created by ChatGPT can raise authenticity concerns.
Legal Issues
There are several legal issues to consider when using ChatGPT or other AI-powered language models. When AI-generated text is used for commercial purposes, it is important to ensure that the use of AI-generated text does not infringe on any existing copyrights. In some fields, such as the health care and legal systems, the use of AI-generated text may be subject to regulations and compliance; however, currently no laws exist regarding use of AI in medical literature. There are also medicolegal issues to consider. Patient medical records that include radiologic reports created by AI can lead to errors and, thus, lawsuits. Questions of accountability will then arise regarding these types of reports.
Innovation
As ChatGPT is based on prior data fed to it, eventually it will lead to repetitive text generation and lack of creativity. ChatGPT and other AI-generated text may lack the creativity and originality that human authors bring to their work. In addition, easily automated text generation in coursework and assignments could lead to less engaged students in medical schools and colleges across the world.
Accuracy
There is a concern that AI-generated text may not be accurate or may contain errors. The current version of ChatGPT does not offer any assessment of content accuracy.
Bias
AI models are trained on large amounts of data, which may inherently include bias. Therefore, there is a concern that the text generated by AI may perpetuate or amplify bias.
Transparency
Ultimately, the use of AI in the writing process and inclusion of text that has been generated by a machine should be made clear.
Overall, AI-powered language models, such as ChatGPT, are powerful tools that could assist human writers in some tasks. However, as we move forward with adopting this technology, it will be important to consider the limitations and potential risks of using AI in the medical writing process.
Acknowledgment
The author acknowledges this article was generated by ChatGPT (powered by OpenAI’s language model, GPT-3.5; http://openai.com). Editing was performed by the author.
Three fabricated references that are not cited in the body of this article:
Fabricated References
- 1. . Daily briefing: Will ChatGPT kill the essay assignment? Nature 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-04437-2. Published online December 12, 2022.
- 2. . AI bot ChatGPT writes smart essays - should professors worry? Nature 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-04397-7. Published online December 9, 2022.
- 3. . Are ChatGPT and AlphaCode going to replace programmers? Nature 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-04383-z. Published online December 8, 2022.
Article History
Received: Jan 3 2023Revision requested: Jan 23 2023
Revision received: Jan 25 2023
Accepted: Jan 27 2023
Published online: Feb 02 2023