RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate level of development that medical interns achieve, before graduating, in critical reading ability during their internship in five general hospitals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the academic year, we compared the initial and final scores of critical reading of medical interns before graduation in five general hospitals in IMSS. An instrument using 98 items that explored interpretation, judgment and proposal was developed and validated by four medical education researchers. In hospitals 1, 4, and 5, professors developed active-participative strategies related to critical reading in clinical research. In Hospital 2, no course was given and in Hospital 3, a traditional course (mainly clinical exposure) was offered. RESULTS: The final global scores were better for those students in Hospitals 1, 4 and 5 versus Hospitals 2 and 3 (median: 31, 29, 31 versus 9 and 24) (Kruskal-Wallis < 0.05). Initial and final differences in global and interpretation, judgment and proposal were also better in those same students. CONCLUSIONS: Active-participative educational strategies may develop the ability for critical reading of clinical research in internship and these strategies must be included in the curriculum during internship.