The value of doubt: training LLMs to consider diagnostic uncertainty may improve clinical utility
Abstract
Physicians often need to make rapid diagnoses based on insufficient data to start treatment and help patients 1 . To prevent medical misdiagnoses and errors, it is important to consider a broad differential of possible disease etiologies, including both likely and “can’t miss” diagnoses. In the process of arriving at a definitive diagnosis, physicians discuss their diagnostic explanations and adhere to clinical guidelines 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 . However, since real-world medical cases often do not cleanly align with clinical guidelines, the probability of each diagnosis needs to be considered.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
Genomics and Rare Diseases
Publication details
- Journal / source
- npj Digital Medicine
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 141–141
- Publication date
- 10 February 2026
- Language
- EN