"Artificial Intelligence in health and healthcare" - A doctoral course

The first doctoral course on AI in healthcare at Sahlgrenska Academy, offered this past spring, was highly appreciated by the participants. The course has now been expanded into three modules, each worth 1.5 - 2 credits: "Basics," "Applications," and "Advanced."

This new format offers PhD students greater flexibility and the ability to tailor their studies to their interests and needs. The hope is that these modular courses will be easier to fit into often already full schedules. Each module is planned to be offered once a year.

“We wanted to create a structure that is more flexible, tailored to the different needs and knowledge levels of our PhD students, and easier to fit into often full schedules. With three independent courses, participants can focus on the areas most relevant to their research, and it offers a chance to deepen their knowledge of AI in a way that suits them,” says Kristian Samuelsson, professor of orthopedics and course director.

The course is led by a multidisciplinary team that combines academic and clinical expertise in AI applications. The team has conducted extensive research together and individually, providing the course with a solid scientific foundation.

Upcoming courses

This spring's course had a large number of participants, including PhD students not only from the University of Gothenburg but also from other institutions around Sweden. The new modular courses have also been successful, and when the first round of "Applications" will be held on October 23–25, guest lecturers from VGR, Chalmers, industry, and several departments at GU will participate.

Applications for next spring's courses open on October 1, with the application deadline on October 21, 2024. The courses are held on campus, with lecture dates on February 5–7, 2025, for "Basics" and March 19–21, 2025, for "Applications." The course can be applied for via GU’s course catalogue using the following links: https://fubasextern.gu.se/fubasextern/info?kurs=SK00043 and https://fubasextern.gu.se/fubasextern/info?kurs=SK00044. "Advanced" is planned for the autumn semester of 2025.

The course is aimed at PhD students at universities and colleges, both in Sweden and internationally, within the health and healthcare field, as well as those working with related research or AI applications in healthcare, dentistry, medical, and health sciences research.

The course's three modules:

- Basics – The course provides an introduction to the technical foundations of AI with a focus on healthcare and medical research. The goal is to give participants an understanding of fundamental principles and tools. No prior knowledge is required, making it suitable for PhD students from various research fields.

- Applications – In this module, participants gain a deeper understanding of how AI is already being used in healthcare by exploring several research projects at the universities. The course also covers safety risks and planning for interdisciplinary research collaborations. No prior knowledge is required, but having completed "Basics" or having basic knowledge of AI can be an advantage.

- Advanced – This course delves into future possibilities and innovations with AI in Life Science. No prior knowledge is required but having completed "Basics" and "Applications" or having basic knowledge of AI can be an advantage.