Jing Wang1, Danhua Wang2, Yanling Chen3, Qin Zhou4, Hong Xie5, Jin Chen1, Youping Li1. 1. Department of Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. 2. Department of Developmental Studies, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, United States. 3. Department of Occupational Disease Department, Nuclear Industry 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China. 4. Department of Nutrition, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. 5. Department of West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) was designed to foster student critical thinking (CT) while conveying knowledge to them. Chinese medical schools have adopted EBM to a varying degree but studies to examine its intended effect are few. This study evaluates the effect of an EBM course on Chinese medical student CT. METHODS: A total of 158 medical students at a Chinese medical school took a seven-category Chinese version of the critical thinking disposition inventory (CTDI-CV) before and after taking an EBM course. Two-tailed, paired t-test measured the course effect. RESULTS: Undergraduate (BS) students showed a significant mean difference (MD) in confidence (MD = 1.43, P = 0.025), inquisitiveness (MD = 1.23, P = 0.041), and overall score (MD = 3.45, P = 0.000). Graduate (MS) students showed a more significant mean difference in confidence (MD = 2.72, P = 0.006). Moreover, BS student course grade was correlated with truth-seeking (r = 0.214, P = 0.029) and open-mindedness (r = 0.246, P = 0.012) while that of MS student was correlated with systematicity (r = 0.295, P = 0.031) and overall score (r = 0.290, P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate some positive effect of an EBM course on student CT due to embedded CT elements in delivering the content. The discrepancy between a higher admission test score and weaker confidence shown by MS students reveals a drawback of the test centered Chinese education system.
OBJECTIVE: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) was designed to foster student critical thinking (CT) while conveying knowledge to them. Chinese medical schools have adopted EBM to a varying degree but studies to examine its intended effect are few. This study evaluates the effect of an EBM course on Chinese medical student CT. METHODS: A total of 158 medical students at a Chinese medical school took a seven-category Chinese version of the critical thinking disposition inventory (CTDI-CV) before and after taking an EBM course. Two-tailed, paired t-test measured the course effect. RESULTS: Undergraduate (BS) students showed a significant mean difference (MD) in confidence (MD = 1.43, P = 0.025), inquisitiveness (MD = 1.23, P = 0.041), and overall score (MD = 3.45, P = 0.000). Graduate (MS) students showed a more significant mean difference in confidence (MD = 2.72, P = 0.006). Moreover, BS student course grade was correlated with truth-seeking (r = 0.214, P = 0.029) and open-mindedness (r = 0.246, P = 0.012) while that of MS student was correlated with systematicity (r = 0.295, P = 0.031) and overall score (r = 0.290, P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate some positive effect of an EBM course on student CT due to embedded CT elements in delivering the content. The discrepancy between a higher admission test score and weaker confidence shown by MS students reveals a drawback of the test centered Chinese education system.
Authors: Julie N Burris; Emily K Frederick; Daniel R Malcom; Sarah Raake; Maria Shin; Kimberly K Daugherty Journal: Am J Pharm Educ Date: 2019-09 Impact factor: 2.047