Abdolhussein Shakurnia - Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Maryam Baniasad - Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

Background Since medical students play an important role in public health system as well as the treatment of patients, the need for critical thinking in them is extensively felt. The current study aimed at evaluating the level of critical thinking disposition (CTD) in the first- and last-year medical students and its association with goal orientation in Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in ۲۰۱۶. Methods The current cross sectional study used critical thinking disposition inventory (CTDI) developed by Rudd and Ricketts, and achievement goal questionnaire-revised (AGQ-R) developed by McGregor and Elliot to collect data. The questionnaires were distributed among ۲۵۵ students of which ۲۰۴ (۸۰%) students completed them. Data were analyzed using -test and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results Of the ۲۰۴ studied subjects, ۱۰۴ were the first-year and ۱۰۰ the last-year medical students. The mean age of the first and last year of medical students was ۱۸.۹۳۰.۸۶ and ۲۴.۶۰۱.۳۱ years, respectively. Moreover, ۴۷ first-year and ۶۶ last-year subjects were female. The mean score of CTD for the first- and last-year students were ۶۹.۸۲ ± ۱۰.۶۰ and ۷۱.۴۸ ± ۱۱.۸۶, respectively, lower than the average range. Based on the -test results, there was no significant difference between this group students (P = ۰.۳۱۰). The mean score of CTD and AGQ for all the study participants was ۷۰.۷۵ ± ۱۱.۱۲ and ۲۸.۲۲ ± ۷.۷۶, respectively; a significant correlation was observed between critical thinking disposition and achievement goal orientation (P = ۰.۰۰۱, r = ۰.۲۹۴). Conclusions The results of the current study indicated that the CTD score was lower than average range in the first- and last-year students; besides, lack of difference between first and last year students emphasized that educational processes should be propelled toward employment of approaches to promote and strengthen critical thinking disposition.

Critical Thinking Disposition, Achievement Goal Orientation, Medical students, medical education