Revista ABCd (São Paulo). 13 Jul, 2026

Prompt engineering in medical education. Dissecting the new technological frontier in Digestive Surgery

Ozimo Pereira GAMA FILHO
Breno Dias LIMA RIBEIRO
Paulo KASSAB
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-67202026000007e1936

ABSTRACT

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a tangible reality in medical education, yet many struggle to interact effectively with these models. This editorial introduces Prompt Engineering as the modern “digital stethoscope”-a systematic approach to maximize AI potential. A structured prompt relies on four pillars (Context, Request, Persona, Format) and advances through four levels of complexity. Strategies like instructing the AI to “think step by step” mitigate logical errors in clinical tasks. However, users must remain vigilant against AI “hallucinations” and phantom citations by using verified databases. Ultimately, while AI processes vast data, human clinical judgment remains the irreplaceable filter for patient safety.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS: The anatomy of a “perfect prompt” rests on four fundamental pillars.

• The most clinically relevant impact of advanced prompting is the mitigation of catastrophic errors.

• Ultimately, Prompt Engineering is more than a technical skill; it is a new pedagogy.

• The success of medical education lies not merely in the transfer of facts, but in forging a mind capable of interrogating reality with precision.


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ABCD – BRAZILIAN ARCHIVES OF DIGESTIVE SURGERY is a periodic with a single annual volume in continuous publication, official organ of the Brazilian College of Digestive Surgery - CBCD. Technical manager: Dr. Francisco Tustumi | CRM: 157311 | RQE: 77151 - Cirurgia do Aparelho Digestivo

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