Navigating The Algorithm: AI Opportunities and Challenges in Medical English

Jumaida Fajar Nassriati

doi:10.61992/jiem.v7i2.170

Jumaida Fajar Nassriati STIKES Darussalam, Lhokseumawe

DOI: https://doi.org/10.61992/jiem.v7i2.170

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Educational Management, English for Specific Purpose, English Proficiency, Medical English

Abstract

This study employed a qualitative descriptive design to explore the opportunities and challenges perceived by health students at STIKES Darussalam Lhokseumawe in utilizing AI for English language learning. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 purposively selected students from the nursing program and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The findings revealed three overarching themes. First, students recognized AI as a powerful facilitator of personalized learning, providing on-demand, context-specific practice in medical English through chatbots and writing tools. Second, they navigated significant challenges, including anxiety over AI hallucinations and concerns about superficial learning and skill atrophy. Third, a crucial institutional guidance vacuum was identified, where the absence of formal policies or pedagogical support amplified these challenges and created ethical ambiguities. The study concludes that while students are proactively and resourcefully leveraging AI, the full potential of these tools is hindered without institutional scaffolding. This research underscores the urgent need for pedagogical integration, clear ethical guidelines, and faculty development to transform AI from a precarious, student-driven tool into an effectively supported educational resource

References

Beck, S. W., & Levine, S. (2024). The Next Word: A Framework for Imagining the Benefits and Harms of Generative AI as a Resource for Learning to Write. Reading Research Quarterly, 59(4), 706–715. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.567
Bender, E. M., Gebru, T., McMillan-Major, A., & Shmitchell, S. (2021). On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots. Proceedings of the 2021 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, 610–623. https://doi.org/10.1145/3442188.3445922
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N.. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design. SAGE.
Crompton, H., & Burke, D. (2023). Artificial intelligence in higher education: the state of the field. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00392-8
Derakhshan, A., Teo, T., & Khazaie, S. (2025). Investigating the usefulness of artificial intelligence-driven robots in developing empathy for English for medical purposes communication: The role-play of Asian and African students. Computers in Human Behavior, 162, 108416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108416
Dillenbourg, P. (2016). The Evolution of Research on Digital Education. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 26(2), 544–560. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-016-0106-z
Granjeiro, J. M., Cury, A. A. D. B., Cury, J. A., Bueno, M., Sousa-Neto, M. D., & Estrela, C. (2025). The Future of Scientific Writing: AI Tools, Benefits, and Ethical Implications. Brazilian Dental Journal, 36. https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-644020256471
Guan, W., & Scott, T. (2024). An Examination of Students’ Perspectives of Medical English Course Quality in Guangdong Medical Universities. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2024.2368074
Holmes, Wayne., Bialik, Maya., & Fadel, Charles. (2019). Artificial intelligence in education: promises and implications for teaching and learning. The Center for Curriculum Redesign.
Kacena, M. A., Plotkin, L. I., & Fehrenbacher, J. C. (2024). The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Writing Scientific Review Articles. Current Osteoporosis Reports, 22(1), 115–121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-023-00852-0
Khalili, S., & Tahririan, M. H. (2023). English for Medical Purposes in Iran: Needs Analysis, Challenges, and Prospects. Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 12(2), 49–68.
Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., & Zou, D. (2023). ChatGPT for Language Teaching and Learning. RELC Journal, 54(2), 537–550. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882231162868
Li, J., Zong, H., Wu, E., Wu, R., Peng, Z., Zhao, J., Yang, L., Xie, H., & Shen, B. (2024). Exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance the writing of English academic papers by non-native English-speaking medical students - the educational application of ChatGPT. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 736. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05738-y
Nassriati, J. F., & Hajar, I. (2024). Nursing Students’ Perception of the Necessity of The English Language for Nursing Career and Human Aid Participation. Jurnal Pendidikan Bumi Persada, 3(2), 125–132.
Normurodovna, M. A. (2025). The Importance of Teaching English for Specific Purposes. 148–156.
Selwyn, Neil. (2022). Education and technology: key issues and debates. Bloomsbury Academic, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Su, Y., Lin, Y., & Lai, C. (2023). Collaborating with ChatGPT in argumentative writing classrooms. Assessing Writing, 57, 100752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2023.100752
Yang, W., Hu, X., Yeter, I. H., Su, J., Yang, Y., & Lee, J. C. (2024). Artificial intelligence education for young children: A case study of technology‐enhanced embodied learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 40(2), 465–477. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12892
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education – where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0