Interactive Digital Learning Tools: Enhancing Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills in First-Year Undergraduate Life Sciences Students.

This session will present a novel approach to teaching chemistry to first-year veterinary students, integrating digital technologies to enhance critical thinking, data analysis, and problem-solving skills. We will highlight how evidence-based student argumentation during molecular structural analysis can simulate diagnostic reasoning and improve engagement. Additionally, we will discuss how the use of interactive tools increases student motivation and autonomy while improving exam performance. Finally, we will explore the flexibility of this blended learning model, which has successfully adapted to both traditional and online formats, demonstrating its effectiveness in fostering key analytical skills for future healthcare professionals.