Critical Thinking Development in Pharmacy Education: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

. Studies included were those that investigated pharmacy students, used one of the tests (CCTST, HSRT, DIT), and used a longitudinal design with test administration at two or more time-points for the same subjects (i.e., development). On review, the CCTST and HSRT seem more foundational to analytical/critical thinking, while the DIT appears to measure moral/complex thinking. Summarizing used meta-analysis with Cohen's d and random-effects modelling. Results: Five studies involved thinking development with 10 separate cohorts for meta-analysis (8 cohorts for CCTST, 2 for DIT, and 0 for HSRT). At 5 institutions, 407 and 1148 students were included (CCTST and DIT, respectively). For the CCTST, the overall effect was with some heterogeneity among study cohorts (I 2 =52%). For the DIT, the overall effect was -0.23

Development of Critical Thinking in Pharmacy Education

“…47 In this summary of longitudinal studies of pharmacy students, we found that the CCTST and DIT showed promising responsiveness to change 48 (i.e., scores on repeated attempts by a student would improve following exposure to a PharmD curriculum). We did not find any studies of CT development in pharmacy education that used the HSRT.…”

A Mixed-Methods Analysis in Assessing Students’ Professional Development by Applying an Assessment for Learning Approach

“…As noted previously, a meta-analysis of pharmacy education did not show substantial increases. 52 Our study appears to be the first to report a substantial positive development. Note that students within other health professions did show development, 53 but not pharmacy before this report.…”

“…In a meta-analysis of DIT studies of development in pharmacy education, investigators found negative growth in pharmacy student development; the pooled estimate was negative. 52 There was substantial heterogeneity, though no groups showed an effect size as large or positive as that shown in this mixed methods analysis. However, in a metaanalysis including health professions students beyond pharmacy, the DIT consistently showed improvement for educational programs except pharmacy.…”

Promoting Peer Debate in Pursuit of Moral Reasoning Competencies Development: Spotlight on Educational Intervention Design

“…11,58 Collaboration between researchers, through complementary expertise and across jurisdictions, could accelerate development of the evidence base for pharmacy. Notwithstanding that adaptation to 'local' terminology and legislation might be required, the ICMs developed for the Irish study (Appendix 1 and supplementary files) might be used in educational interventions with community pharmacists in other jurisdictions.…”