Are Doctors Ready for AI to Steal Their Stethoscopes?

The Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) and Madrid’s Círculo de Bellas Artes recently launched a free, open-access roundtable series, Medicine and Philosophy, on the SEC Channel. Organized by the Hippocratic Chapter of Society, this initiative aims to reconnect medicine with its humanistic heritage and counter the growing trend of hyperspecialization.

“To be a good doctor, you need a broad education — philosophy included,” said Eduardo de Teresa Galván, MD, PhD, honorary board member of the SEC and a cardiology expert. Speaking to Univadis Spain, a Medscape Network platform, de Teresa added, “Physicians should ask themselves more often, ‘Why?’”

Pilar García Velasco, director of Projects and Institutional Relations at Círculo de Bellas Artes, explained to Univadis Spain that the series was designed to “explore how science and the humanities intersect and inform each other, so we can better understand today’s challenges.” Together with the SEC, the organizers selected three core topics: the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on healthcare, the debate on life extension, and the medicalization of existential issues such as boredom. García Velasco emphasized that the goal was not to reach definitive conclusions but rather to spark curiosity and encourage ongoing reflection among attendees.

AI Impact

The opening panel, The Doctor-Patient Relationship in the Era of Artificial Intelligence, examined the current and potential roles of AI in healthcare. The panelists discussed AI’s contributions to test result interpretation and diagnostic efficiency. De Teresa underscored both the promise and the pitfalls: “This should mean that doctors have more time to devote to cultivating the essential doctor-patient relationship, but experience tells us that every time a technological advance has emerged that lightens the burden on medical professionals, the reaction has been to overload their schedules with more patients.”

He also urged for meaningful physician involvement in technology development: “We must advise those who develop the models so that they are as useful as possible to improve care for our patients.” De Teresa stressed the urgent need to reform medical education in response to technological shifts: “It makes no sense for us to continue training future doctors as we are doing now. The question is how to do it; it is a debate that must be opened and will be very complex and difficult,” he added.

Panelists included de Teresa; Nikos Kastanos, MD, CEO of Medical Trends and president and co-founder of the Hippocratic Movement; with Pilar López García, PhD, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid, as moderator.

Life Span

The second discussion, Who Wants to Live Forever, addressed whether immortality — or at least a significant life extension — is possible or desirable. The session highlighted the intersection of philosophy and biology, from exploring the biological feasibility of a longer life to reflecting on philosophical meanings.

De Teresa shared a philosophical view, stating, “What makes life interesting is that our time is limited, and we have to try to make the most of it. If we had much more time, everything would end up repeating itself over and over again.”

The panelists included Carlos López-Otín, PhD, professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Oviedo; Iván de los Ríos, PhD, professor of Philosophy at the Autonomous University of Madrid; and Andrea Kallmeyer, MD, cardiologist at Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, as moderators.

Boredom Debate

The final round titled Is Boredom a Medical Problem? critically examined healthcare boundaries amid societal tendencies to medicalize ordinary experiences and challenges posed by an aging population. “This could ultimately bankrupt our welfare state. We must reflect on this as a society,” warned de Teresa.

Panelists were Josefa Ros, PhD, professor of Social Psychology and lead researcher in Boredom Studies at the Complutense University of Madrid; José Luis Puerta, MD, PhD, coordinator of the Department of Anthropology of Medicine at the Center for Human Evolution and Behavior (Carlos III Health Institute-Complutense University of Madrid); and Valerio Rocco, PhD, director of Círculo de Bellas Artes; with Marisa Crespo, MD, PhD, vice president-elect of the SEC, as moderator.

Conclusion

Both the SEC and Círculo de Bellas Artes expressed satisfaction with the series’ success in terms of attendance and content quality — all seats were sold. “The success of this collaboration with the SEC has led us to consider new joint proposals that will help us continue to delve into the links between science and the humanities,” García Velasco said. De Teresa noted that future editions of the series may expand beyond Madrid to foster broader engagement and decentralize programming.

García Velasco and de Teresa reported having no relevant conflicts of interest. 

This story was translated from Univadis Spain.