Are Low and Middle-Income Country Universities “AI Resilient”: Exploring the Use of ChatGPT among Medicine and Health Sciences Students in Rwanda.

Introduction ChatGPT, launched in 2022, has rapidly become a popular AI tool used in academia and professional settings. This study explores its use, perceived strengths and weakness, perceived benefits and risks, and future potential among students in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Rwanda, particularly focusing on its implications for education in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Methods A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth structured interviews with 30 purposively selected students during the United for Health Days 2023. Participants who had used ChatGPT were employed. Interviews were transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results ChatGPT was primarily used for academic assignments, professional growth, and extracurricular activities. It was highly effective for literature reviews and class assignments but less useful for tasks requiring advanced technical skills like scientific computing or clinical case analysis. Major benefits were increased productivity, ease of use, and 24/7 availability. Risks included overreliance on the tool, potential reduction in critical thinking, ethical concerns regarding academic integrity, and accuracy limitations. Recommendations included improving data accuracy, developing AI-related policies, and offering training to users. Conclusion As AI technologies like ChatGPT transform education, LMICs face unique challenges in adapting their systems. This study underscores the risk of widening educational disparities between LMICs and High-Income Countries (HICs), emphasizing the urgent need to develop AI resilience in LMIC universities. Strengthening AI integration and policy frameworks will be key to ensuring equitable and competitive education in a rapidly evolving digital landscape .