بررسی تفکر انتقادی دانشجویان دانشکده بهداشت دانشگاه علوم پزشکی و خدمات بهداشتی درمانی در سال 1389

Background and purpose: The need to address critical thinking in medical education has been emphasized in response to rapid changes of health care environment. One of the main tasks of a medical institution in addition to develop students’ professional competencies is developing decision-making skills, self-efficiency and decoding problem which affect their ability to practice critical thinking. This study is aimed at assessing critical thinking in is health faculty students of Mazandaran university of Medical Sciences. Materials and methods: The subjects were 168 BSc students and 27 MSc students of health faculty, Mazandaran university of Medical Sciences, for data collection we applied California Critical Thinking Skills Test Form B. Results: The level of critical thinking in this study showed an average of 10.19 which was lower than that in the standardization process (15.89). Therefore, the critical thinking in our statistical population was weak. Other findings showed significant relationship among critical thinking and demographic variables such as degree levels and discipline. Among the dimensions of critical thinking only deduction had significant difference between two degrees where the master's degree had a higher average. Conclusion: Findings showed significant relationship between critical thinking and demographic variables of degree levels and discipline. Furthermore, this study reveals the weakness of critical thinking of undergraduate and postgraduate students in all aspects, hence, it is necessary to teach critical thinking skills at university level.