Research in higher medical education: cognitive biases and their control from a hermeneutic and ethical perspective

Introduction: the theoretical-methodological analysis of the teaching-learning process in higher medical education requires the evaluation of cognitive biases. Objective: to reflect on the cognitive biases of research in higher medical education and their control from a hermeneutic and ethical perspective. Method: a bibliographic review was carried out of articles published in English and Spanish in scientific journals indexed in digital databases. Keywords were used, and 16 articles were selected that met the selection criteria. Content analysis was carried out. Development: research in higher medical education is the process of knowledge generation that acts as a sensor of the reality of academic phenomena, both individual and collective. Researchers have the potential to make mistakes where cognitive skills are fundamental. Despite having tools to control biases, scientists are vulnerable to possible deviations in results during the analysis and evaluation of the environment of the context studied. Their responsibility is to identify and control these biases in order to achieve superior quality results, reducing the risk of errors and developing reliable science. In this sense, the hermeneutic perspective becomes a process that favors understanding and interpretation where ethics must be a transversal axis. Conclusions: promoting critical thinking from the hermeneutic perspective and achieving empathy through communicative exercise and maintaining an ethical attitude are valid actions in favor of controlling cognitive biases in research in higher medical education.