AI is Smart. Don't Let it Make You Dumb -
The human way to prompt smarter (and still think for yourself).
There’s no shortage of guides on “how to use AI”... but not many ask what it’s using of you.
This isn’t just about better prompts. It’s about who you become in the process — and what slips away if you hand off too much.
As a professor and healthcare provider, I’ve used AI to clarify ideas, build lectures, and organize complex thoughts.
It’s great... until it isn’t. I’ve watched students lean so hard on it that they stop thinking for themselves.
I’ve seen clinicians use it to summarize cases, and while efficient, it often trims the nuance — the part where real learning lives.
So here’s a practical, human-centered guide to using AI without outsourcing your curiosity, standards, or soul.
5 Grounding Practices (with Real-Life Prompts)
1. Keep Asking “Why?”
Prompt: "Explain this like I’ve never seen it before... then tell me what most people get wrong."
-Example: In sonography, ask: "What’s one misconception students have about portal hypertension findings on ultrasound?"
2. Let AI Challenge You, Not Replace You
Prompt: "Here’s what I think... argue against it."
-Example: After writing about fetal circulation, prompt: "What part of this might confuse a student — and why?"
3. Preserve Voice Over Polish
Prompt: "Clean up the flow... but keep it sounding like me."
-Example: When revising a burnout reflection, don’t let AI turn it into sanitized “inspiration” speak. Keep the grit.
4. Use AI to Spot Gaps — Not Fill Them
Prompt: "What’s missing here? What question haven’t I asked yet?"
-Example: Reviewing a case report summary? Let AI help you find the holes — not rewrite the whole.
5. Practice Resistance
Prompt: "What assumption am I making that might not be true?"
-Example: When exploring ethics in tech or diagnostics, use AI to interrogate your own bias... not just summarize others'.
Still Being Human Means.
AI isn’t going anywhere. But neither are you.
The real question is: What kind of thinker do you want to stay?
Because thought is like muscle — and it atrophies if you stop using it.
Found this useful?
This is the first of a paid series with tools, examples, and prompts for staying grounded while using AI in healthcare, teaching, and everyday reflection.
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Until Next time,
Stay Human,
Dr. D
As a K–12 math teacher, I see the value in using AI to help students explore concepts or organize their thinking—but I also see the risks when it starts doing the thinking for them. Math isn’t just about getting the right answer; it’s about the process, the struggle, the why. When students rely too heavily on AI, they lose out on developing that critical reasoning muscle. I’ve learned to use AI as a partner, not a substitute—something that can push thinking forward, not take over the job. Because if we’re not careful, we risk raising students who know how to ask a chatbot for help, but don’t know how to ask themselves the right questions.