[Critical reading of clinical research reports among resident doctors at IMSS of five specialties. Exploratory national study].

INTRODUCTION: Critical reading holds an important role in methodical criticism of clinical aptitude, which contributes to its perfection, which would be indispensable in the study and consideration in the continuing formation of the medical resident.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the degree of development of critical reading of information of clinical investigation, in medical residents of five specialties in the country.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study took place, in 3060 medical residents of five residencies (internal medicine n=474, pediatric n=358, family medicine n=1651, ER/doctor surgical n=269 and anaesthesiology n=308). In order to measure the degree of development of critical reading, an instrument with eight clinical research article summaries was elaborated, selected according to the proposed classification of types of studies by McMaster University, with subjects that could be of interest for the studied residents; constituted by 150 items that explore three indicators (to interpret, to judge and to propose); validated by five experts with educational experience, clinical-epidemiologist and in publication of works; a pilot study was made and the internal trustworthiness with the test of Kuder-Richardson was considered (KR-20), obtaining a 0.90 coefficient. The capture of data and the qualification of the instrument were made with the blinded technique. The analysis was made with parametric statistic.

RESULTS: The residencies that received greater points were internal medicine and pediatrics (X 50.23 +/- 15.02 and X 48.84 +/- 15.76, respectively, of a theoretical qualification maxima of 150). Also, it was not observed in the points reached in the critical reading by the resident doctors, an ascending tendency per year of residency (of R1 to R4).

CONCLUSIONS: In critical reading, residents of internal medicine as well as pediatrics obtained the highest scores in contrast with family medicine, ER, surgical and anesthesiology which obtained lower scores. Also, it seems to be that until this moment, the development of this aptitude does not keep correspondence as it is passed per year of residency.