Comparing critical thinking skills of first- and last-term baccalaureate students of nursing, midwifery and occupational therapy of medical Universities of Tehran city

Mastery in critical thinking skills is the ultimate goal of learning in medical education. This study was conducted to determine and compare critical thinking skills of first- and last-term baccalaureate students of nursing, midwifery and occupational therapy among medical Universities of Tehran city in 2006. This descriptive- comparative study was performed on 426 freshman and senior students of three medical Universities of Tehran city, including Shaheed Beheshti, Tehran and Iran. The students were completed a demographic form and California Critical Thinking Skills Test (Form B). There was a significant difference between total critical thinking scores of the first- and last-term students of nursing and midwifery in Shaheed Beheshti and Iran Universities ((p<0.04 and P<0/03, respectively), while there was no significant difference in other groups. In addition, no significant difference was found in total critical thinking scores of students at different disciplines and Universities. This study showed no significant increase in critical thinking skills of senior students. This may be due to lack of pay attention to education of critical thinking skills in Universities.