Deep Research, Fast Learning—A New Chapter in CMA-AI’s AI Education

From Hours of Searching to Minutes of Insight

Back in my early research days, literature reviews meant one thing: time. Hours spent scrolling through PubMed, sifting through irrelevant abstracts, and second-guessing every keyword. As a physician-scientist, I accepted this as part of the job. However, it wasn’t efficient—and it certainly wasn’t where the real learning happened.

That changed with AI. Alternatively, more accurately, it changed when Deep Research capabilities became accessible to us.

At The Training Center of Central Texas, we are teaching students not just to use AI—but to use it responsibly and strategically.

Introducing Deep Research: AI with Depth

AI tools like ChatGPT changed the game with their ease of use, but early versions had clear limitations—outdated training data and a lack of real-time, validated insight. That is where Deep Research enters the picture.

Unlike passive querying, Deep Research allows AI to:

• Actively scan current data across trusted sources

• Synthesize findings in minutes

• Compare results with uploaded files and ongoing work

This is not just summarizing. It is searching with purpose—and teaching our students how to instruct AI to do the heavy lifting without losing critical thinking.

From the Lab to the Classroom: Why It Matters

Let’s say a student is preparing a presentation on chronic kidney disease. Instead of spending hours clicking through outdated links and abstracts, they now:

1. Feed the system keywords and parameters

2. Upload a few relevant PDFs

3. Get a structured, citation-backed overview within minutes

They still fact-check—because we train them to. Now, they are spending time on what actually matters: analyzing, thinking, learning.

Tools We Trust, Habits We Teach

As someone who’s used AI tools before ChatGPT and still approaches them cautiously, I share this with our students: Always double-check your sources.

AI is a tool, not a replacement for expertise. But when used properly, it frees up the one thing none of us have enough of—time.

Therefore, in our The Training Center of Central Texas CMA-AI curriculum, we are now incorporating:

• Deep Research modules

• Use-case labs comparing traditional vs. AI-assisted review

• Practical AI prompts for literature synthesis

Because learning to ask better questions is what creates better clinicians.

Conclusion: AI Doesn’t Replace You—It Elevates You

Our students are being trained to interact with AI the same way a skilled researcher interacts with a microscope—not to blindly accept what they see, but to know how to direct the lens and interpret what comes through.

The future of healthcare education does not just belong to those who can memorize facts. It belongs to those who know how to navigate information wisely.

At The Training Center of Central Texas CMA-AI, we are building that wisdom into every module.

By Saran Lotfollahzadeh, MD, MSCR Candidate

MD, General Surgeon, Pediatric Surgery Sub-Specialist

MSCR Candidate

AHA Cardio-Oncology SFRN Fellow

Medical Director, CMA-AI Training Center of Central Texas

Instructor in Medicine