Using Forensic Anthropology Casework to Teach Critical Thinking in Medical Education A Conceptual and Practical Framework

Abstract

Critical thinking is a core competency in medical education, yet it remains difficult to teach through traditional lecture-based approaches. Authentic cases that contain uncertainty and incomplete information may provide more powerful learning opportunities. Forensic anthropology casework, characterized by fragmentary evidence, competing hypotheses, and high-stakes decision-making, offers a unique educational environment for developing these skills. We analyzed 65 anonymized forensic anthropology case reports generated through routine medicolegal practice between 2006 and 2018 in our medicolegal department. Cases were categorized according to recurring reasoning challenges (sex estimation, age estimation, stature estimation, assessment of postmortem interval, human versus animal differentiation, commingled remains, and exhumations with undetermined cause of death). Each category was mapped to established dimensions of critical thinking. Based on this mapping, we developed structured teaching vignettes and a practical framework for integrating these cases into problem-based learning, case-based learning, and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations. The case corpus consistently reflected the complexity and uncertainty of real-world forensic practice. When transformed into teaching vignettes, the cases provided opportunities for learners to analyze incomplete data, weigh competing explanations, reason probabilistically, and explicitly communicate uncertainty. We present an educational framework and concrete implementation strategies for medical and interprofessional training contexts. Forensic anthropology casework represents a promising, authentic educational resource for cultivating critical thinking in medical education. By reframing real cases into structured learning activities, educators can intentionally expose learners to uncertainty and evidence-based reasoning. Future studies should empirically evaluate the impact of this approach on learner outcomes.