Over the past decade, I’ve watched artificial intelligence (AI) move from a distant buzzword to an indispensable part of my daily life—both in the clinic and beyond. In fact, if I had to sum up my relationship with AI, I’d say this: AI has given me back time—time to spend with patients, with family, and even with myself.
I wanted to share some reflections on how I’ve personally used AI over the years, not just as an oncologist but as a human being juggling the competing demands of modern medicine, entrepreneurship, and life.
The Note-Taking Revolution: AI as My Scribe
When I first finished fellowship, like many of my colleagues, I would spend hours after clinic writing notes. Two, three extra hours a day—easy. The sheer volume of documentation was overwhelming. And as any physician knows, documentation isn’t just about jotting things down—it’s about creating a professional, legal, and billable account of a highly complex patient encounter. That takes time, precision, and focus.
I was one of the first at my center to bring in a human scribe, and that was a game-changer. With the right scribe, I could see two to four more patients a day. But scribes come and go, and not all are created equal. (I still laugh about the time I had a computer engineer scribe who finger-typed like he was pecking out orthopedic notes—needless to say, that didn’t last.)
The real transformation came when I started using AI first as an editor to dictated notes and now as AI-powered ambient listening technology here in West Virginia. Today, before I even walk into a room, I dictate my chart review into my AI app (the hospital uses Oracle’s platform). During the visit, the AI listens, processes, and drafts my notes in real-time. By the time I’m back at my computer to enter orders, the note is 90% done. I still need to tweak it, but it’s so much easier to edit a near-completed note than to create from scratch.
From the patient perspective, I always ask for permission before using AI during the visit. Most, if not all, patients have been accepting and even curious when I explain that AI is assisting in documenting the encounter. They seem receptive, appreciating that this allows me to maintain eye contact and have a genuine, uninterrupted conversation about their life and their health concerns with more specifics. I truly believe it enhances the patient experience, allowing for more authentic human connection while still ensuring the details are captured accurately.
Is it perfect? No. But I spend 90% less time on documentation, and I’ve virtually eliminated “pajama time”—those hours spent finishing notes after the kids are asleep. That’s life-changing. During my locum life, I am the last one to come to clinic—usually strolling in by 8:30am for my first patient, taking off for my one-hour lunch break to do personal things, and typically out by 3:30-4pm. I have no clinic notes to do when Im back at my apartment.
AI as a Thinking Partner
AI doesn’t just help me document—it helps me think too.
When I transitioned to locums work, half of my practice suddenly became hematology. I hadn’t done outpatient heme (or breast oncology) in over a decade. Classical heme, as I quickly rediscovered, is actually quite manageable—but that initial anxiety was real. What if I missed something?
That’s where AI became an invaluable tool. I can present a clinical scenario, ask for considerations, and receive suggestions I might not have thought of. It doesn’t replace NCCN/ASH guidelines, UpToDate, or good old-fashioned clinical judgment—but it sharpens my thinking. AI helps me remember what I once knew, points me toward what I should double-check, and, most importantly, reminds me to be thoughtful in my assessments.
The key is this: AI is not an authority. It’s perhaps an assistant or like a senior medical resident still learning, especially when time is limited. Senior medical residents and fellows are great to have around because they often bring fresh perspectives or raise considerations I may not have been thinking about in the moment. Similarly, AI can help sharpen thinking—but just like our residents/fellows, I never trust without verification, and I always confirm with proper authoritative sources. Always.
AI for Communication—With Patients, Colleagues, and Myself
ASCO 2025 presented some good educational series on the topic. Another area where AI has quietly but profoundly improved the day-to-day life is communication.
- Patient Messaging: AI-generated message drafts save time while preserving empathy. Studies have shown that AI-crafted messages often sound more caring and professional than rushed physician responses. Patients appreciate that warmth, even if it’s AI-assisted.
- Professional Emails: Most recently, I use AI to tone-check and polish emails. We all have good days and bad days, and I want my written communications to consistently reflect professionalism, gratitude, appreciation, and respect—no matter how busy or tired I am or how emotional I can potentially be with life’s ups and downs.
- Peer-to-Peer Letters & Prior Authorizations: I dictate the core message, AI writes the letter, and it’s done in minutes. Insurances are using AI for denials—fight fire with fire.
AI in Contracts, Teaching, and Presentations
AI isn’t just for clinical practice—I use it for contract review (both in medical employment contracts and in real estate with our new franchise or purchases), to prepare lectures, and even for writing legal case summaries for my medical-legal work.
One of the things I love about AI is that it can explain complex concepts at any level—from “talk to me like I’m an eight-grader” to a more sophisticated academic style. When I prepared for my oral abstract presentation at ASCO 2025, AI helped me distill complex science into clear, audience-friendly language. It helped me show up at the podium more confident.
AI in My Personal Life
I even use AI outside of medicine:
- Blog Writing & Editing: Every blog post on this site starts as a voice-dictated stream of thoughts, feelings, and expressions—sometimes 30 minutes or longer. I then copy the transcript into my AI editor to shape it into a coherent post. While I still go through several iterations to refine the message and clean up the flow, what used to take 1-2 days to write from scratch can now be drafted in just a few hours.
- Travel Planning: AI has helped me plan everything from Iceland road trips to last-minute Chicago layovers. It builds itineraries faster than any guidebook or travel agent.
- Marriage & Family: I jokingly call it my “Happy Wife, Happy Life” GPT. Sometimes I use it to craft thoughtful texts for my wife—she knows it’s still me behind the message, but it helps me be more intentional in expressing love and appreciation. So valuable during those more intense argumentative discussions!
- Morning Meditation & Self-Reflection: I use AI for daily reflection, stoic philosophy, and goal-setting. It’s like having a personal life physician coach who’s always available, always encouraging.
Where AI Is Headed—and What We Must Remember
At ASCO this year, several talks underscored what I’ve personally experienced: AI is already making a meaningful difference in clinical efficiency and physician wellness. From ambient listening to auto-drafting patient messages to contract reviews or distilling complex topics in any field, these tools can reduce burnout and restore some balance to our lives.
But AI is not infallible. It hallucinates. It makes mistakes. It cannot replace the responsibility that rests on our shoulders as physicians. It can, however, be an incredible assistant—one that helps us be more efficient, thoughtful, and maybe even a little more human.
AI has changed the way I practice medicine, the way I think, the way I communicate, and the way I live. And if you haven’t tried it yet—I’d say, give it a shot. You might be surprised at what it can potentially do in every aspect of your life.
Suggested reading:
AI in Medicine – a bit technical.. most up to date resource textbook style for clinician.
About the author
Dr. Sajeve Thomas is a distinguished medical professional and a compassionate guide in the field of oncology. With over a decade of dedicated experience as a board-certified medical oncologist/internal medicine specialist, Dr. Thomas has become a trusted expert in the treatment of melanoma, sarcoma, and gastrointestinal conditions. He brings a wealth of expertise to the complex and challenging world of oncology.
Disclosures:
Dr. Thomas serves as a speaker for Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Merck, Ipsen, Natera, Immunocore, Pfizer, and SpringWorks. He also receives industry grants in support of numerous clinical trials.