AI-Driven Case-Based Learning for English-Medium Medical Students: Applications in Teaching Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Background Case-Based Learning (CBL) was widely used in medical education to develop clinical reasoning and knowledge application. However, English-Medium Instruction (EMI) environments presented additional linguistic and cognitive challenges. The emergence of large language models such as ChatGPT offered new opportunities to enhance both disciplinary and language learning. This study evaluated the educational impact of ChatGPT-assisted CBL in teaching benign prostatic hyperplasia to EMI medical students. Methods A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted among 64 undergraduate medical students enrolled in an EMI urology course. Participants were assigned to either a ChatGPT-assisted CBL group or a traditional CBL group. The AI-assisted group used ChatGPT to generate patient cases, clarify medical terminology, provide reasoning prompts, and summarize key learning points. Outcomes included knowledge acquisition, clinical reasoning, English communication performance, and learning satisfaction. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests and ANCOVA, while qualitative data from interviews were thematically analyzed. Results Before the intervention, no significant differences were found between the ChatGPT-assisted CBL and traditional CBL groups (all p > 0.05). After four weeks, the ChatGPT-assisted group showed significantly greater improvements in knowledge, clinical reasoning, and overall clinical ability (all p < 0.05). They also achieved higher scores in English presentation, confidence, and self-assessment, with greater satisfaction and perceived usefulness for medical and EMI learning. These findings indicated that AI-assisted CBL enhanced students’ learning outcomes and engagement. Conclusion AI-assisted CBL effectively improved students’ knowledge acquisition, clinical reasoning, communication, and engagement in EMI medical education. Integrating ChatGPT into CBL provided a supportive and interactive learning environment, demonstrating its potential as an innovative educational tool when applied with appropriate guidance and supervision.