Mapas conceptuales y desarrollo de competencias investigativas en estudiantes de educación médica: una revisión sistemática

Concept Mapping and Research Competency Development among Medical Students: A Systematic Review

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Introducción: Los mapas conceptuales constituyen una estrategia didáctica de creciente interés en la formación de profesionales de ciencias de la salud, debido a su potencial para organizar conocimientos, favorecer relaciones conceptuales y fortalecer procesos cognitivos vinculados con el aprendizaje y el razonamiento clínico. Objetivo: Analizar la relación entre el uso de mapas conceptuales como estrategia didáctica y el desarrollo de competencias investigativas en estudiantes universitarios de ciencias de la salud. Metodología: Se realizó una revisión sistemática siguiendo el método PRISMA. Se incluyeron 25 estudios publicados entre 2022 y agosto de 2026, seleccionados mediante criterios de elegibilidad. La evidencia fue examinada considerando los efectos académicos, cognitivos, motivacionales e investigativos asociados con el uso de mapas conceptuales, así como las características metodológicas de los estudios. Resultados: Los estudios evidenciaron mejoras en el rendimiento académico y la retención de conocimientos, además del fortalecimiento del pensamiento crítico y el razonamiento clínico. También se identificaron efectos motivacionales favorables y reducción de la ansiedad. En relación con las competencias investigativas, se observaron avances asociados principalmente con programas que incorporaron mentoría y actividades de indagación. Los estudios presentaron diversidad metodológica, con predominio de diseños experimentales, cuasiexperimentales y transversales, así como un incremento de publicaciones desde 2025. Conclusiones: Los mapas conceptuales pueden fortalecer el sustrato cognitivo necesario para la indagación científica en estudiantes de ciencias de la salud, particularmente mediante la organización del conocimiento, el pensamiento crítico y el razonamiento clínico. Sin embargo, la evidencia disponible presenta una limitación importante: ningún estudio analizado evaluó directamente el efecto de esta estrategia sobre componentes específicos de la competencia investigativa. Se requieren investigaciones experimentales que permitan establecer dicha relación con mayor precisión.
Introduction: Concept maps have attracted growing interest as an instructional strategy in the education of health sciences professionals because of their potential to organize knowledge, facilitate conceptual relationships, and strengthen cognitive processes associated with learning and clinical reasoning. Objective: To analyze the relationship between the use of concept maps as an instructional strategy and the development of research competencies among university students in the health sciences. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA method. Twenty-five studies published between 2022 and August 2026 were included based on predefined eligibility criteria. The evidence was examined by considering the academic, cognitive, motivational, and research-related effects associated with the use of concept maps, as well as the methodological characteristics of the studies. Results: The studies demonstrated improvements in academic performance and knowledge retention, as well as enhanced critical thinking and clinical reasoning. Favorable motivational effects and reductions in anxiety were also identified. Regarding research competencies, improvements were observed mainly in programs incorporating mentoring and inquiry-based activities. The studies showed methodological diversity, with experimental, quasi-experimental, and cross-sectional designs predominating, along with an increase in publications since 2025. Conclusions: Concept maps may strengthen the cognitive foundation required for scientific inquiry among health sciences students, particularly through knowledge organization, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning. However, the available evidence presents an important limitation: none of the studies analyzed directly assessed the effect of this strategy on specific components of research competence. Experimental studies are therefore needed to establish this relationship more precisely.

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Sulca Quispe, R. E., Jáuregui Figueroa, M. del R., Purilla Janto, J. M., & Figueroa Bejarano De Jauregui, M. del R. (2026). Mapas conceptuales y desarrollo de competencias investigativas en estudiantes de educación médica: una revisión sistemática. Revista Tribunal, 6(17), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.59659/revistatribunal.v6i17.597
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Sulca Quispe, R. E., Jáuregui Figueroa, M. del R., Purilla Janto, J. M., & Figueroa Bejarano De Jauregui, M. del R. (2026). Mapas conceptuales y desarrollo de competencias investigativas en estudiantes de educación médica: una revisión sistemática. Revista Tribunal, 6(17), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.59659/revistatribunal.v6i17.597

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