Development of critical and clinical thinking in medical radiology education

This study examines the development of critical and clinical thinking among students in medical radiology education through pedagogical dialogue and interactive teaching methods. Medical radiology requires students to interpret visual information, identify clinically significant findings, formulate diagnostic hypotheses, make decisions under conditions of uncertainty, and communicate professional reasoning clearly. The study involved 462 students from three higher education institutions: Bukhara Innovative Educational and Medical University, Samarkand State Medical University, and the Urgench branch of Tashkent Medical Academy. Of the total sample, 234 students participated in the experimental groups and 228 in the control groups. The intervention was based on pedagogical dialogue, clinical case scenarios, visual analysis, diagnostic discussion, simulation, role-playing, professional argumentation, and reflective activities. Students' learning outcomes were evaluated using tests and tasks designed to assess critical thinking, visual interpretation, professional reasoning, and communication. Initial and final results were compared using mathematical-statistical procedures, including Pearson's chi-square criterion as reported in the study design. The findings showed a substantial improvement in the experimental groups, while changes in the control groups were comparatively limited. The results support the effectiveness of systematically organized interactive teaching for developing critical and clinical thinking in medical radiology education.