Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Water and Electrolytes Resaerch Center, Department of Physiology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Objectives: Critical thinking is an important outcome criterion of higher education in any
discipline. Medical and paramedical students always encounter with many new problems in
clinical settings and medicinal laboratory, and critical thinking is an essential skill in obtaining a
better approach for problem solving. We performed a pre-and post-test to evaluate the change of
critical thinking skills in medical sciences students who enrolled in Isfahan University of Medical
Sciences in Iran during the academic years 2008-2010.Methods: In a longitudinal design
study, the critical thinking skills were compared in medical sciences students in two sequential
semesters using the California Critical Thinking Skills Test. The test is divided into two parts
(parts 1 and 2), including 17 items in each part. Based on proportional stratified sampling, a
groups of students (group 1, n=159) were selected from the university population, who enrolled
in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and rehabilitation colleges. The students in group 1 were
asked to complete the part 1 of the test (phase I). After one semester, another group (group 2,
n=138) from the same population was randomly selected, and they were asked to complete
the part two (phase II). The students’ demographic data also were recorded. The California
critical thinking skills test was translated and it validity and reliability were approved before.
Results: No significant difference was observed between the two groups in the demographic
data. The students critical thinking scores in phase II significantly reduced in comparison
with phase 1 (p<0.05). The phase II scores in subdivisions of analysis, inference, inductive
reasoning, and deductive reasoning also failed to demonstrate improvement. Conclusion: It
seems curriculum reform is necessary to improve the students’ critical thinking.
Keywords
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