The significance of new technologies in modernising the teaching process in medical study programmes

Abstract

Research objective: The aim of the article is to assess the influence of selected digital technologies – e-learning, medical simulation, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence and gamification – on the quality of medical education and on the competences of graduates, as well as to identify the barriers limiting their widespread adoption. Methodology: The study is based on a review of the subject literature and of the available empirical evidence, combined with an analysis of Polish institutional documents, ministerial and sectoral reports, and the practices of selected medical universities. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews and case studies of implementations at Polish and foreign institutions were taken into account. Main conclusions: Technology-supported teaching proves at least as effective as conventional instruction, and clearly more effective in the acquisition of procedural and clinical skills. Gamification and immersive environments have the strongest documented effect on student engagement and motivation. At the same time, adoption is constrained by the cost of infrastructure, insufficient digital competences among teaching staff, and regulatory gaps regarding the accreditation of simulation-based training. Application of the study: The findings may be used by medical university authorities planning investment in simulation infrastructure, by teaching staff designing blended and simulation-based courses, and by public administration bodies shaping funding policy and the legal framework for medical education. Originality/Novelty of the study: The article combines a review of international evidence with an analysis of the Polish institutional context, which remains under-represented in the literature, and demonstrates that digital tools yield the best results as a complement to – rather than a substitute for – the master–apprentice relationship in clinical training.