Critical issues and the impact of technology in healthcare professional education in low-and-middle income countries: a call for transformation

Abstract

Health Professionals Education symposium, organized by the Ko & ccedil; Academy of Medical Education Research (KAMER), convened in October 2024 to discuss the evolving role of technology and social accountability in health professions education. The symposium adopted the concept of healthcare professionals' education as a unifying framework for synchronizing the training of medical and nursing students within a continuum of holistic healthcare education in low-and-middle income countries. The rationale for the symposium was to call on the dire need to improve healthcare professionals' education to reduce the increasing gap between the global north and global south. The discussion topics involved critical and current issues such as social accountability, health advocacy, and professionalism. Study groups explored aligning education with societal needs, addressing healthcare disparities, and integrating professional values into medical and nursing curricula. Presentations also focused on the integration of technology into healthcare education. Participants examined big data, artificial intelligence, simulation technologies, and digital learning platforms, identifying challenges and opportunities for their implementation. The symposium highlighted the transformative impact of interprofessional education, health advocacy, and technology in shaping socially accountable, patient-centered healthcare systems. Key recommendations included integrating community-oriented curricula, leveraging data-driven strategies for program enhancement, and expanding access to advanced educational technologies. This manuscript summarizes the symposium's conclusions and emphasizes the need to transform healthcare professionals' education in low-and-middle income countries to align with contemporary societal demands and to reduce the disparity gap.