AI4Health: Engaging Adolescents in Artificial Intelligence to Promote Pathways to Biomedical Careers

Developing a biomedical workforce is a critical national need. The next generation of biomedical researchers and health science professionals will need to develop a deep understanding of how to creatively apply artificial intelligence (AI) to solve challenging biomedical problems. Because adolescence offers a key window to promote interest in biomedical careers and increase self-efficacy to pursue biomedical careers, given the rapidly growing interest in AI, introducing adolescents to biomedical careers with a focus on AI holds significant promise for developing the nation’s biomedical workforce. The goal of this project is to create AI4Health, the first game-based learning environment to introduce students to AI in the context of biomedical careers. AI4Health is designed to promote the interest of adolescents in biomedical careers through leveraging significant advances in game-based learning technologies to create engaging interactions that enable them to virtually explore biomedical careers and learn how AI can be used to solve health science problems. The project has three aims: Design and develop AI4Health to engage adolescents’ interest in biomedical careers utilizing AI-driven learning technologies that integrate the following components: (a) the AI4Health Career Adventure Game will introduce adolescents to the world of biomedical research and health science careers with a focus on AI through a series of interactive game episodes in which students will take on the role of biomedical researchers and health science professionals; (b) the AI4Health Student Discovery website, which will feature interactive video interviews with biomedical research and health science professionals about their careers and how they use AI; and (c) the AI4Health Teacher Resource Center website, which will provide online professional development materials and in-class support for teachers’ classroom implementation of AI4Health. Investigate the impact of AI4Health on adolescents’ knowledge of, interest in, and self-efficacy for pursuing biomedical research and health science careers featuring AI by conducting a matched comparison study in middle school classes. Examine the effect of AI4Health on a wide range of adolescent students. Working closely with adolescents throughout all design and development phases of the project, the project team will design AI4Health to develop knowledge of, interest in, and self-efficacy to pursue biomedical careers in all adolescents.