RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences recently launched a major report providing a comprehensive framework to guide the safe, ethical and effective integration of AI across surgical practice in Ireland. The report sets out a detailed picture of AI supporting the entire patient pathway: early diagnosis, operative planning, intra-operative guidance, remote monitoring, wearables and “hospital at home” models. It emphasises that AI should augment, not replace, surgeons, with explicit emphasis on “human in the loop” decision-making, and it discusses accountability, trust, explainability and patient consent.
A key theme within the report is the need to embed AI literacy alongside core surgical skills. It outlines specific skills surgeons will need, from understanding LLMs and bias to interpreting AI outputs and communicating AI risks to patients.
The increasing complexity of surgical care, alongside evolving technologies such as robotics, digital imaging, and data-driven decision-making, necessitates a parallel evolution in how surgeons are trained (RCSI, 2026).
RCSI has a central role to play in preparing surgeons for the advent of these novel AI & digital technologies, and the report sets out a multi-dimensional strategy for embedding competence and fluency with AI and digital technologies as fundamental competencies within postgraduate, specialist and CPD surgical curricula.
From Technical Expertise to AI Literacy
The report argues that AI literacy should become a key competency for surgeons, not an optional add-on. As AI-enabled systems increasingly influence diagnosis, operative planning and clinical decision-making, surgeons will need a working understanding of how these technologies function, where their limitations lie, and how to critically evaluate their outputs. Rather than positioning AI as a replacement for clinical judgement, the report emphasises that surgeons must remain informed decision-makers, capable of recognising bias, uncertainty and data limitations in AI-generated recommendations. This combination of technical literacy and professional judgement is presented as essential for the safe adoption of AI across surgical practice.
Embedding AI Skills Throughout Surgical Training
To achieve this, the report recommends integrating AI and digital health competencies across the entire surgical education pathway, from core surgical training through specialist training and continuing professional development. It identifies a broad set of capabilities that future surgeons will require, including understanding machine learning and large language models, data governance and privacy, ethical and legal considerations, critical appraisal of AI tools, and effective communication with both patients and technical teams. RCSI is positioned as having a key leadership role in defining these competencies and ensuring they are embedded within core curricula, creating a workforce capable of evaluating, implementing and monitoring emerging technologies throughout their careers.
Lifelong Learning for a Rapidly Changing Field
Recognising the pace at which AI technologies are evolving, the report places particular emphasis on continuous professional development. It recommends a range of educational approaches, including workshops, online courses, trainee education sessions, digital skills assessments and specialty-specific training programmes. RCSI already provides a number of digital health and AI-related educational offerings, and the report calls for their continued expansion. It also highlights the need for a new generation of clinical leaders who can guide AI implementation, develop governance frameworks and help shape organisational change across the healthcare system. In this vision, learning about AI is not a one-time exercise but an ongoing professional responsibility for surgeons at every stage of practice.
You can read the report in full here: RCSI Report, 2026: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Surgery.
