This study investigates the perceptions and practices of undergraduate healthcare students in Malaysia regarding the use of ChatGPT for academic purposes. The survey, conducted among 443 students from three different programs (MBBS, BDS, and FIS), explores their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to ChatGPT. Key findings include: 1. **Knowledge and Attitudes**: Students generally have a good understanding of ChatGPT's capabilities, but there is still a significant portion who lack knowledge about its functions and limitations. Most students hold positive attitudes toward ChatGPT, recognizing its potential benefits such as accuracy and efficiency in completing academic tasks. 2. **Practice**: While most students use ChatGPT rarely, a substantial number (36.6%) use it for academic purposes, with 47.6% verifying the accuracy of the information provided. The majority (45.8%) use ChatGPT to assist with specific sections of assignments, while most complete the rest independently. Some students (41.1%) do not use it at all, and a few (9.5%) rely heavily on it. 3. **Demographic Influences**: MBBS students were significantly more likely to use ChatGPT for academic purposes compared to BDS and FIS students. Year-5 students exhibited the highest likelihood of using ChatGPT, followed by Year-2 and Year-4 students. Higher knowledge and positive attitudes were correlated with increased academic usage. 4. **Challenges and Concerns**: Students expressed concerns about the reliability of ChatGPT's responses, including issues with data accuracy, plagiarism, ethical issues, and dependency. Thematic analysis revealed that ChatGPT's limitations include providing fake references, inability to recognize visual and audio content, and generating opinion-based answers. 5. **Future Recommendations**: The study recommends developing comprehensive awareness programs, establishing clear guidelines, enhancing knowledge, encouraging critical thinking, promoting responsible use, and continuous monitoring to address the risks and limitations of using ChatGPT in academic settings. The study highlights the need for educators and students to be mindful of the limitations of ChatGPT and to use it prudently, emphasizing the importance of maintaining academic integrity and ethical standards.This study investigates the perceptions and practices of undergraduate healthcare students in Malaysia regarding the use of ChatGPT for academic purposes. The survey, conducted among 443 students from three different programs (MBBS, BDS, and FIS), explores their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to ChatGPT. Key findings include: 1. **Knowledge and Attitudes**: Students generally have a good understanding of ChatGPT's capabilities, but there is still a significant portion who lack knowledge about its functions and limitations. Most students hold positive attitudes toward ChatGPT, recognizing its potential benefits such as accuracy and efficiency in completing academic tasks. 2. **Practice**: While most students use ChatGPT rarely, a substantial number (36.6%) use it for academic purposes, with 47.6% verifying the accuracy of the information provided. The majority (45.8%) use ChatGPT to assist with specific sections of assignments, while most complete the rest independently. Some students (41.1%) do not use it at all, and a few (9.5%) rely heavily on it. 3. **Demographic Influences**: MBBS students were significantly more likely to use ChatGPT for academic purposes compared to BDS and FIS students. Year-5 students exhibited the highest likelihood of using ChatGPT, followed by Year-2 and Year-4 students. Higher knowledge and positive attitudes were correlated with increased academic usage. 4. **Challenges and Concerns**: Students expressed concerns about the reliability of ChatGPT's responses, including issues with data accuracy, plagiarism, ethical issues, and dependency. Thematic analysis revealed that ChatGPT's limitations include providing fake references, inability to recognize visual and audio content, and generating opinion-based answers. 5. **Future Recommendations**: The study recommends developing comprehensive awareness programs, establishing clear guidelines, enhancing knowledge, encouraging critical thinking, promoting responsible use, and continuous monitoring to address the risks and limitations of using ChatGPT in academic settings. The study highlights the need for educators and students to be mindful of the limitations of ChatGPT and to use it prudently, emphasizing the importance of maintaining academic integrity and ethical standards.