Critical thinking in early medical education: experiences from a first-year science course

Introduction Critical thinking is emphasized as an important learning aim in early medical education, yet how students experience learning this capability in practice remains underexplored. Understanding students’ experiences of learning critical thinking provides insight into how educational intentions are encountered rather than requiring measurement of whether learning has occurred. Methods This study explored how first-year medical students experienced learning critical thinking in a science course. An interpretive qualitative design with reflexive thematic analysis and semi-structured interviews was used. Twelve first-year medical students participated. Results Analysis generated four themes: navigating epistemic uncertainty about what critical thinking meant in context; engaging in active analytical practice through specific course activities; inhabiting a threshold of difficulty marked by persistent discomfort and evaluative ambiguity; and experiencing affective and identity-level responses to a cognitively demanding new standard of learning. Students reported that learning critical thinking felt different from other forms of learning they had previously encountered, often more demanding and less straightforward. Course activities such as problem-solving exercises and evaluating evidence were experienced as opportunities to practice critical thinking, though students varied in how comfortable or successful they felt during these activities. Moments of difficulty were common and included struggling to know how much analysis was sufficient or feeling uncertain about whether their thinking was appropriately critical. Discussion The findings indicate that students experience learning critical thinking as a complex process involving cognitive effort, emotional engagement, and ongoing interpretation of what is being asked. Attending to how students experience this learning provides a perspective on early medical education that complements outcome-focused approaches.