2nd Annual PUGS Case Competition: The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Diagnosing and Managing Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

The PUGS Case Competition is an undergraduate research conference organized by Western University's Physiology and Pharmacology Undergraduate Society (PUGS), designed to provide undergraduate students with opportunities to engage in scientific innovation and research. In March 2026, PUGS hosted its second annual case competition, bringing together 47 undergraduate teams, 10 faculty judges, and 17 graduate student mentors. This year's case challenged participants to propose an innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven approach to the diagnosis or treatment psychiatric disorder. Teams could introduce novel diagnostic strategies using AI components to enhance early detection, detection precision, or identify novel treatment approaches. Alternatively, the solution could reimagine or modify an existing treatment approach by incorporating a novel AI component to overcome current limitations and improve effectiveness. All teams were required to submit a written abstract for faculty evaluation. The top 50% of teams had their abstracts included in this publication. The top six teams advanced to the oral presentation round, where they presented their proposals at the in-person conference to faculty judges and attendees. After the presentations, the top three teams, determined by the judges based on relevance, depth of understanding, and presentation quality, were awarded monetary prizes.