IIIT Hyderabad Launches Online Course On AI For Medical Professionals

IIIT Hyderabad, in collaboration with NAMS, has launched a 12-week online course to equip medical professionals with AI skills, enhancing diagnosis, patient care, and operational efficiency.

IIIT Hyderabad launches online course in ‘AI’ for medicos. (Representative Image)

Source : Freepik

The International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIITH) has introduced a new online course titled 'AI for Medical Professionals,' in collaboration with the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) and IHub-Data. NAMS, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, joined forces with IIITH to design this 12-week orientation program aimed at equipping medical professionals with essential AI skills.

The course covers fundamental topics such as AI, machine learning, deep learning, and their practical applications in clinical settings. Participants will explore how AI can enhance patient care, diagnosis, prognosis, and operational efficiency in hospitals. In addition to technical concepts, the program delves into ethical and governance issues related to AI in healthcare. The course is delivered via video lectures, weekly sessions, and case studies, supported by quizzes, assignments, and assessments, culminating in certification.

This initiative has garnered significant interest, with around 200 medical professionals, including senior faculty and research members from top-tier institutions across 41 specialties, representing 24 states and 56 cities. Esteemed faculty from IIITH and NAMS are spearheading the lectures and tutorials.

The course was launched virtually by Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Dr. Shiv Kumar Sarin, President of NAMS, and Prof. P J Narayanan, Director of IIIT Hyderabad. During the inauguration, Prof. Narayanan emphasized the importance of sharing IIITH's expertise in AI research with the medical community to enhance decision-making, diagnosis, and drug discovery.

Dr. Shiv Kumar Sarin expressed confidence that this course will enable medical professionals to adopt AI technologies in patient care, marking a step toward integrating AI into medical curricula in the future. Dr. Abhay Karandikar further emphasized the critical role of AI in expanding healthcare access, particularly in rural areas, underscoring the need for collaboration between engineers and doctors.

Established in 1998, IIIT Hyderabad is an autonomous research university specializing in Information Technology, including Computer Science, Electronics, and Communications. Known for its interdisciplinary research, the institute's focus areas range from Human Language Technologies and Robotics to IT in Agriculture and Bioinformatics, with a strong emphasis on addressing societal challenges through technology.