Deskilling and Non-Skilling in the Healthcare Workforce

Rural healthcare experts shared that one major challenge and consideration for AI use is not specific to rural healthcare, but important for consideration in all healthcare settings — the risk of deskilling and non-skilling of the workforce.

Deskilling refers to when people lose skills (for example, clinical reasoning skills) due to overreliance on AI
Non-skilling is when students or trainees do not develop the core competencies needed to be successful, such as comprehension and critical thinking skills

One rural healthcare expert drew a parallel between AI and the deskilling and non-skilling of the healthcare workforce to the introduction of map apps and navigation tools, which have replaced the need for basic wayfinding skills when driving.

In healthcare, the concern is that clinicians and students will depend too heavily on AI and, therefore, may fail to develop foundational knowledge and judgment. For example, in the field of radiology, radiologists need to understand the science of imaging technologies. This helps them to identify errors, communicate with radiology technologists, and make safe and informed clinical decisions. AI can help radiologists in reading and interpreting MRIs. However, radiology trainees must still learn to make sense of the outputs to recognize when there is a problem or a result is incorrect; AI cannot replace this judgment. Taken together, these concerns highlight the need for thoughtful AI implementation that supports clinical training across the healthcare workforce.

Rural healthcare organizations may consider the following strategies to address the risks of deskilling associated with AI use:

Set clear expectations and boundaries for AI use
Address the risk of overreliance on AI
Incorporate policies on AI use in training and practice
Promote responsible and ethical use of AI
Support ongoing skill development without AI-enabled digital tools

Proactive approaches can help ensure that AI enhances — rather than displaces — clinical reasoning skills among healthcare providers.