St. George’s University (SGU) School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies, has highlighted new insights into how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping preventive healthcare in the MENA region, but stresses the need to balance advanced diagnostic tools with traditional clinical reasoning to ensure patient safety.
The MENA healthcare ecosystem is moving quickly to adopt automated technologies. The regional AI in healthcare market, valued at $0.6 billion in 2025, is projected to reach $15 billion by 2035, according to a Research and Markets report. Under government-led initiatives like the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031 and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 digital health transformation, local institutions are rapidly deploying commercial clinical software. Simultaneously, leading regional institutions, such as Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia’s Seha Virtual Hospital, are already utilizing approved diagnostic solutions like AI-driven radiology analysis and digital pathology to assist with disease detection. Because these tools function as a supportive second layer of review, future doctors require clinical training that balances technological literacy with traditional medical judgment.
“Whether interacting with clinical decision support, diagnostic tools, or administrative systems, doctors must understand that AI-generated information can be incomplete, outdated, or clinically inappropriate if used without context,” advised Dr. Reza Sadeghian, an executive physician, AI Strategist and a Clinical Advisor at SGU.
To address this shift, modern medical preparation focuses on developing foundational skills in recognising bias, verifying sources, ethical awareness, and accountability. Clinicians are encouraged to treat algorithmic recommendations with the same critical evaluation as any clinical resource, ensuring that human reasoning remains central to patient care.
Furthermore, understanding the broader operational infrastructure of modern health systems remains critical. Much of the practical integration of AI occurs behind the scenes in areas such as referral management, scheduling, documentation efficiency, and resource allocation. Governance requirements differ from country to country. Hence, clinical professionals must remain mindful of these distinct regional governance frameworks when evaluating automated tools.
For example, the UAE’s DHA AI Policy mandates that licensed healthcare professionals report AI deficiencies, conduct third-party audits, and ensure human intervention remains possible, while Saudi Arabia’s SFDA requires clinical validation, post-market surveillance, and personnel competency in AI-assisted tools.
“In modern healthcare settings, clinicians find themselves practising in environments where algorithms and automated workflows influence daily patient care,” said Dr. Reza. “Technology should support clinical reasoning, not replace it. The most critical skills for physicians today are critical thinking, source verification, bias recognition, and accountability. We must treat AI recommendations the same way we treat any clinical suggestion: review it, question it, compare it with the patient’s presentation, and confirm it against accepted clinical standards to ensure the physician remains the ultimate decision-maker.”
