The Relationship between Moral Sensitivity and Critical Thinking in medical students

Abstract

Ethical sensitivity is one of the important elements in identifying ethical situations and reaching the stage of making the right ethical decisions and providing ethical care to patients. On the other hand, critical thinking is one of the main components in clinical decision making and a criterion for clinical efficiency of people in the medical profession. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between moral sensitivity and critical thinking in medical students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Methods and Materials: In this cross-sectional study, 120 medical students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences who are studying for a doctorate in medical professions were randomly included in this study. Lutzen Moral Sensitivity and the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (Form B) were conducted. These questionnaires were randomly completed and data were collected by providing links in groups and virtual classroom channels at different times. The data were then entered into SPSS software version 22 and subjected to statistical analysis using descriptive and analytical analysis (Pearson correlation test and multivariate regression). Results: 61 (50.8%) males and 59 (49.2%) females were studied in this study. The mean age of participants was 23.08 73 2.73 years. 49 (40.8%) in basic sciences, 21 (17.5%) in physiopathology, 18 (15.0%) in external and 32 (26.7%) in internship They were educated. The results of general linear modeling of the relationship between moral sensitivity and critical thinking, by adjusting the contextual variables (age, gender, marriage and education) showed that there was no significant relationship between these two variables. There was a significant inverse relationship between age (r value = -0.759, r = -1.759) and education (p value = 0.013, r = -13.258) with moral sensitivity. People with lower levels of education and age The lower they had the higher the moral sensitivity. However, no significant relationship was reported with marital status (P value = 0.580, r = 2.196) and gender (P value = 0.436, r = 2.325).