Introduction:
The clinical interview is one of the most relevant procedures within the clinical approach in physiotherapy and, therefore, one of the fundamental skills of the physiotherapist. The clinical interview is generally studied in undergraduate programs from a theoretical perspective that is intended to be reinforced in a practical way. Introducing real patients for training in this skill is arguably one of the best learning strategies. However, it seems important that students can have prior exposure to clinical interview scenarios before facing real patients in a real clinical setting. Artificial intelligence and the use of computer programs that simulate human behavior (commonly referred to as bots) could be a valuable tool for physiotherapy training. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate students’ perceptions of the introduction of a bot and artificial intelligence tool in the University Degree in Physiotherapy.

Methodology:
One hundred and fifty-six first-year students from the University of Valencia’s Degree in Physiotherapy participated in this study. In the "Information and Communication Technologies in Physiotherapy" subject, the technical foundations and context of using bots and artificial intelligence for clinical interview training in physiotherapy were explained during a theoretical class. Subsequently, in a practical session, the students developed patient bots and carried out various clinical interview simulations with bots developed by the lecturer. Afterward, the students completed a survey with 14 questions regarding their perception of the tool. Each question was rated on a 7-point scale, with 1 indicating "totally disagree" and 7 indicating "totally agree".

Results:
The students considered that this novel methodology helped them to acquire or improve their skills in clinical interviewing, patient communication, and asking appropriate questions (ranging from 5.33 to 5.61), as well as that it helped them to feel more comfortable during the interaction with the patient (5.22). Likewise, they considered the bot's responses to be realistic enough to immerse them in the clinical case, making it feel like a real situation (5.51), and that the tool is useful for familiarizing themselves with clinical scenarios (5.58). Finally, the students also reported that their motivation for the contents of the subject, their motivation to attend class, or their interest in the study of clinical interview skills increased (ranging from 4.35 to 5.25), and found this methodology to be interesting (5.76).

Conclusions:
According to the results of this study, the use of a bot and artificial intelligence tool could be a valuable strategy for acquiring clinical interview skills in the University Degree in Physiotherapy. Specifically, the tool was perceived as interesting and useful for improving different types of skills among students. Additionally, while there was general acceptance regarding increased interest in the subject and its content, the level of acceptance suggests that the tool is more appreciated for its potential usefulness than for its ability to enhance attendance or motivation in the subject.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, clinical interview, education, innovation, technology.