Elon Musk says going to medical school is going to become pointless
Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and the CEO of Tesla Inc., issued a warning to the world during a recent appearance in Peter H. Diamandis’s podcast, Moonshots.
“Don’t go to medical school; it’s pointless now,” he said.
According to Musk, Tesla’s Optimus robots will eventually replace human surgeons by performing complex procedures that humans currently deem impossible. He envisions an army of medical robots operating in the most remote corners of the world.
Chips in human minds – cool but scary!
One of the most mind-boggling projects among his ongoing ones is the Neuralink chip. The chip is being designed to be implanted in the brains of paralyzed or non-verbal patients so that it can translate thoughts into computer commands.
Essentially, a person will be able to complete a task not by actively doing it, but by simply “thinking” about it. Now, that’s one of the coolest things I have ever heard!
But it’s also deeply unsettling. Firstly, what if that chip is implanted with malicious intent? Secondly, who actually owns and accesses the data harvested from inside a human brain? And thirdly, how much does this truly improve a patient’s quality of life if they remain physically unable to engage with the world?
These are things to think about before giving into the fascination of the possibilities this technology promises.
No substitute to the human factor
This brings me to the main question that I have about the future of medicine: Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) truly replace doctors?
The simple answer is that we just don’t know yet. Some influencers I follow insist that AI will completely replace physicians within a few years, while others argue it won’t happen anytime soon because most patients are uncomfortable trusting a machine with their concerns regarding their health and life.
As someone who has aspired to be a physician since I was a child, I’ve always believed that healthcare is one of the few industries that will remain eternally relevant, regardless of technological shifts. There is simply no substitute for the ‘human touch’ or the sense of relief that comes from a doctor looking you in the eye and telling you they have everything under control. I mean, if a doctor doesn’t have feelings, why would you even visit them?
I’ve been diving deep into healthcare issues lately by reading books, articles, and watching relevant videos online. Through this research, I have come to realise that patients often don’t need doctors to completely fix their health issues but also to listen to them and offer reassurance.
In addition to people who can prescribe medicines, patients need someone who can lend an ear and participate in conversations about their lives. For many, a doctor is the only support system they have with respect to their health issues. When a patient presents with an illness, they don’t always need expensive tests and interventions. And for conditions that people have to live their lives with, a warm and informed voice telling them that ”it’s okay and it can be done” matters a big deal.
Take, for example, an overworked construction worker with a poor diet who suffers from frequent headaches. He doesn’t necessarily need a costly CT scan to rule out a brain tumor. He might just need a good night’s sleep, a dietician to improve his eating habits, and the social support to help him get through a grueling day. Similarly, a woman experiencing chronic pain due to an abusive domestic situation cannot be cured by medication alone. She needs a human connection who can address her concerns and offer avenues of support.
Now, can a robot have a holistic approach for these patients? Musk will probably say yes, but most patients, I think, would feel uncomfortable in being vulnerable in front of a machine.
For Gen Z, our illness is often an overdose of social media. The constant comparison of successes, bodies, and lifestyles makes us easy targets for anxiety and addiction. Can this be solved simply by handing a teenager an antidepressant without addressing their screen habits? Probably not. And would a “machine-doctor” ever truly be able to convince a patient to put down their phone, which in fact, is another machine? Unlikely, I think.
Humans have agency. And even though it feels lost in the age of constant conditioning and social media, we still retain the option to exercise it freely. And to think that we will turn into a version that will follow verbatim commands from robots is a future most of us, I think, do not care about.
If there is one thing AI and robots cannot do, is feel. A robot cannot feel the weight of a dying patient, the guilt of not providing better care to a patient due to systemic issues, the joy of a successful patient recovery, or the miracle of childbirth. Empathy is what makes doctors good at what they do. And above all, empathy is what makes you and I human.” – Maliha Jabeen Khan
AI as a helping hand
While AI and robots, I believe, cannot entirely replace human physicians anytime soon, they can certainly enhance the quality of healthcare services offered. My own family physician now uses an AI tool at her clinic to perform administrative tasks and take patient history.
My appointments before this AI assistant felt rushed, but the most recent one felt human. Trust me, I know how ironic it sounds but bear with me as I explain this further.
Now, this wasn’t because my family doctor had a better diagnosis for me this time, but because I got the opportunity to better connect with her. We discussed my symptoms of asthma and how I felt breathless, of course. But this time we also talked about my graduation plans, my recent trip to India, and my career aspirations. The AI tool she used saved her hours of repetitive paperwork, reduced her burnout, and allowed her more capacity to care for her patient.
Robot assisted surgeries are known to provide a faster recovery time and less invasive procedures for patients than surgeries performed by human surgeons. In fact, the Pasqua hospital in Regina recently performed its first ever robot-assisted surgery with great success.
But notice how I said “robot-assisted” and not “robot-led.” Yes, humans can make errors but so can robots. Which is why I think that collaboration is the best way forward.
AI should complement physicians, not replace them. We still face massive ethical concerns about AI regarding data privacy, patient confidentiality, and the “cookie cutter” approach of algorithms.
AI is not yet trained to deliver culturally safe care to our Indigenous communities, immigrant populations, and other marginalized communities as well. A well-trained human physician is required to make the final call, one that does the most benefit and the least harm to their patient.
So, will AI replace doctors? Only time will tell. But does Musk’s warning make me want to withdraw my medical school application? Absolutely not.
If there is one thing AI and robots cannot do, is feel. A robot cannot feel the weight of a dying patient, the guilt of not providing better care to a patient due to systemic issues, the joy of a successful patient recovery, or the miracle of childbirth. Empathy is what makes doctors good at what they do. And above all, empathy is what makes you and I human.
