A survey of 443 undergraduate healthcare students in Malaysia explored their knowledge, attitudes, and use of ChatGPT for academic purposes. The study found that most students had a positive attitude toward ChatGPT, despite concerns about accuracy, ethics, and dependency. MBBS students were more likely to use ChatGPT for academic tasks than BDS and FIS students, and final-year students were more likely to use it than earlier-year students. Higher knowledge and positive attitudes correlated with increased academic use of ChatGPT. Most users (45.8%) used ChatGPT to assist with specific assignment sections while completing most work independently, while 41.1% did not use it at all and 9.3% relied heavily on it. Students used ChatGPT for various purposes, including generating questions, understanding concepts, and writing assignments. However, they also expressed concerns about data accuracy, plagiarism, ethical issues, and dependency on ChatGPT for academic tasks. The study highlights the need for guidelines to implement AI chatbots in healthcare education, emphasizing benefits and risks, and informing AI developers and educators about ChatGPT's potential in academia. The study also identified limitations of ChatGPT, including inaccuracies, citation issues, and the need for specific instructions to generate accurate responses. The authors recommend developing awareness programs, establishing ethical guidelines, enhancing knowledge, encouraging critical thinking, promoting responsible use, and establishing support systems. The study acknowledges the need for further research to address the potential risks of using generative AI chatbots in healthcare education.A survey of 443 undergraduate healthcare students in Malaysia explored their knowledge, attitudes, and use of ChatGPT for academic purposes. The study found that most students had a positive attitude toward ChatGPT, despite concerns about accuracy, ethics, and dependency. MBBS students were more likely to use ChatGPT for academic tasks than BDS and FIS students, and final-year students were more likely to use it than earlier-year students. Higher knowledge and positive attitudes correlated with increased academic use of ChatGPT. Most users (45.8%) used ChatGPT to assist with specific assignment sections while completing most work independently, while 41.1% did not use it at all and 9.3% relied heavily on it. Students used ChatGPT for various purposes, including generating questions, understanding concepts, and writing assignments. However, they also expressed concerns about data accuracy, plagiarism, ethical issues, and dependency on ChatGPT for academic tasks. The study highlights the need for guidelines to implement AI chatbots in healthcare education, emphasizing benefits and risks, and informing AI developers and educators about ChatGPT's potential in academia. The study also identified limitations of ChatGPT, including inaccuracies, citation issues, and the need for specific instructions to generate accurate responses. The authors recommend developing awareness programs, establishing ethical guidelines, enhancing knowledge, encouraging critical thinking, promoting responsible use, and establishing support systems. The study acknowledges the need for further research to address the potential risks of using generative AI chatbots in healthcare education.