Centering Criticality in Medical Education Research: A Synthesis of the 2022 RIME Papers

Picking Up Where the Authors Left Off: Reading Research in Medical Education

“…The answer depends on our reason for reading. 18 If we consider knowledge creation as the objective, then rigorous readers will ask at least 5 types of questions (Table 1), organized by their function: (1) rhetorical questions to test the logic, credibility, and emotional impact of a persuasive argument, as outlined in a research paper 19(p5) ; (2) philosophical questions to uncover, examine, and potentially alter our deeper reasons for belief 20(p7–9),21 ; (3) critical questions to unmask systems of oppression and bring marginalized voices to the forefront 17,22 ; (4) postcritical questions to unveil new horizons of possibility enabled by the research or our experience of reading it 23,24(p32) ; and (5) practical questions to identify day-to-day habits, practices, and relationships that will help us use research knowledge to live well in the world. 20(p25–28) By asking and answering these sorts of questions, readers can actively contribute to knowledge creation.…”

“…5,9 Choosing to accept, question, or resist the terms of a text involves discerning its premises and examining its epistemé (who has been “allowed” to contribute to knowledge creation and how). Prior RIME Forewords, 5,17 RIME commentaries, 22,35 and other resources 36 can assist readers with distinguishing research paradigms and considering how a given piece highlights or shadows particular points of view.…”

From What We Are Doing to Why: Describing RIME’s Core Values

“…This task has been addressed by our newest RIME members in the RIME Overview. 7 In the Overview, the authors draw attention to the critical perspectives at play within the RIME supplement this year-whether describing where and how the authors of RIME papers approached their work from a critical perspective, or identifying areas for future critical work based on the foundational work included in the RIME Supplement. 7 Third, the RIME Foreword sometimes functioned as a public record-a space for accountability to our community and transparency of our processes.…”

“…7 In the Overview, the authors draw attention to the critical perspectives at play within the RIME supplement this year-whether describing where and how the authors of RIME papers approached their work from a critical perspective, or identifying areas for future critical work based on the foundational work included in the RIME Supplement. 7 Third, the RIME Foreword sometimes functioned as a public record-a space for accountability to our community and transparency of our processes. A key example of this has drawn attention to areas of research and methodologies that need more focus from the research community (e.g., Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion scholarship), to contemporary issues related to medical education (e.g., Critical Race Theory) and ongoing innovations in the field (e.g., epistemological approaches to educational research and the impact of those approaches).…”