The project “Analysis of Open Data on Drug Billing Using AI-Based Data Analysis Tools”, coordinated by Mireia Andrés, from UIC Barcelona, and with the participation of Fundació HiTT, has been awarded with a grant in the fisrt call for proposals launched by the UIC’s Observatory of Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies (OIANT).
In its evaluation, the OIANT has praised specially the innovation and originality of the project and its pedagogical impact. The key innovation of the proposal lies in leveraging AI to generate Python code for data processing, analysis, and visualization, thereby making complex data analysis accessible to medical students who may have limited prior programming experience and, thus, adressing a significant barrier to data analysis in medical education.
By providing AI tools to overcome programming proficiency barriers, the project empowers and motivates students. It equips medical students with advanced programming and data analysis skills, which are increasingly essential in healthcare. Learning through population-level data is critical for developing a broader understanding of global health challenges and reinforcing equitable healthcare decision-making, complementing individual clinical case studies.
The jury considered that the integration of drug billing data analysis within the Pharmacology course allows students to explore drug usage, identify patterns, and place therapeutic agents in a meaningful, real-world context, strengthening their understanding and introducing them to data-driven insights. According to the evaluacion, the proposal promotes “student autonomy” and shifts the educator’s role to a “facilitator,” which can support sustainable implementation.
The grant awarded will allow the activity implementation during the courses 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 in the UIC Barcelona (Universitat Internacional de Catalunya).