[Ability of pediatric residents to read critically research papers]. / Lectura crítica de artículos de investigación por grupos de residentes pediatras.

OBJECTIVE: To explore ability to read clinical research papers by pediatric residents at different stages of their training. SETTING: Four hospitals of the Mexican Social Security System located in Mexico City. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An instrument to evaluate the ability to read critically pediatric research papers was developed and validated by four experts. It contained four abstracts generated from research articles and was integrated by 30 interpretation items, 30 judgment items and 30 alternative proposals items, to be answered by the true-false- don't know system. RESULTS: Sixty seven residents participated (21 first year, 20 second year and 26 third year level). There were no significant differences in interpretation, judgment and overall scores between groups. There was a significant degree of agreement in the ordinality of the residents for the scores in interpretation, judgment and proposals (Kendall W = 0.55, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the residents were not influenced by the training received during their residence in regard to their ability for critical reading of clinical research papers.