[Critical reading ability in research during medical internship].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate level of development that medical interns achieve, before graduating, in critical reading ability during their internship in five general hospitals.


METHODS
During the academic year, we compared the initial and final scores of critical reading of medical interns before graduation in five general hospitals in IMSS. An instrument using 98 items that explored interpretation, judgment and proposal was developed and validated by four medical education researchers. In hospitals 1, 4, and 5, professors developed active-participative strategies related to critical reading in clinical research. In Hospital 2, no course was given and in Hospital 3, a traditional course (mainly clinical exposure) was offered.


RESULTS
The final global scores were better for those students in Hospitals 1, 4 and 5 versus Hospitals 2 and 3 (median: 31, 29, 31 versus 9 and 24) (Kruskal-Wallis < 0.05). Initial and final differences in global and interpretation, judgment and proposal were also better in those same students.


CONCLUSIONS
Active-participative educational strategies may develop the ability for critical reading of clinical research in internship and these strategies must be included in the curriculum during internship.
Cobos Aguilar
Héctor
H
Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social, Delegación Nuevo León. educanl@sysop.com.mx
Insfrán Sánchez
Myriam D
MD
Pérez Cortéz
Patricia
P
Elizaldi Lozano
Norberto E
NE
Hernández Dávila
Eleazar
E
Barrera Monita
Juventino
J
D035843:Biomedical Research; D007396:Internship and Residency; D011932:Reading