The last several years have seen a surge in artificial intelligence (AI) integration in health care. From December 2023 to March 2025, the number of Food and Drug Administration-approved devices increased from 692 to 1,016, demonstrating the rapid growth of AI-enabled tools in less than 18 months.^1,2

Traditional machine learning models currently perform the majority of AI-driven tasks, especially in radiology. While these models typically handle specific, singular tasks or functions (e.g., reading x-rays), generative AI can perform a multitude of tasks simultaneously. Generative AI is already influencing medical practice outside the scope of diagnostics. It has tremendous potential to make medical practice more efficient, especially for physicians who know how to use it effectively.³ This article provides tips and best practices for writing prompts to get the most out of large language model (LLM) generative AI programs — general-purpose programs (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, or DeepSeek) or specialized platforms (such as OpenEvidence, Glass Health AI, or Doximity). We will review recommendations for prompting responsibly, discuss the “four Rs” for writing an effective prompt, describe advanced prompting techniques, and provide concrete examples of prompts that family physicians can use to support their daily work.