The CME session titled "SMART RESEARCH START: AI Tools for Prompt Engineering, Protocol Writing, and Literature Review" was successfully conducted on 22nd August 2025. The event aimed to empower faculty and postgraduate students with cutting-edge AI tools that can streamline and enhance various stages of academic research.The session witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 60 faculty members and postgraduate students, reflecting a strong interest in integrating artificial intelligence into research workflows.

Speakers and Sessions

Dr. Ankita Tyagi, Regional Medical Advisor at Abbott EPD India, delivered an insightful talk on the role of AI in prompt engineering and how it can be leveraged to generate high-quality research questions and hypotheses.

Dr. Srikant N, Professor at the Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, MCODS Mangalore, elaborated on the use of AI tools in protocol writing and literature review, demonstrating practical applications and sharing valuable tips for researchers.

Workshop Structure and Schedule

The workshop was designed to be interactive and hands-on, with the following schedule:

2:00–2:30 PM: Avoiding Plagiarism & Reference Management using Zotero

2:30–2:40 PM: Introduction to Prompt Engineering

2:40–3:00 PM: Demonstration – Prompt Engineering in ChatGPT for Protocol Writing

3:00–3:15 PM: Break – Hi-Tea

3:15–3:30 PM: Hands-On Activity – Writing Your Own Protocol Prompt

3:30–4:00 PM: Tools for Literature Review

4:00–4:30 PM: Hands-On Activity – Using Literature Tools

4:30–4:40 PM: Final Integration and Wrap-Up

4:40–5:00 PM: Q&A Session

Registration was free but mandatory, with participants signing up via this link.

Highlights

Live demonstrations of AI tools tailored for academic research.

Hands-on activities that allowed participants to apply their learning immediately.

Interactive Q&A sessions that addressed real-time challenges faced by researchers.

Networking opportunities for faculty and PGs across disciplines.

Conclusion

The event served as a platform to bridge the gap between traditional research methodologies and modern AI-driven approaches. Participants left with a deeper understanding of how AI can be a powerful ally in enhancing research quality, efficiency, and innovation.