Perspectives in Medical Research

Volume: 11 Issue: 3

  • Open Access
  • Original Article

Study to assess perceptions of the Educational Environment among medical undergraduate students using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM)

Associate professor, Department of Community Medicine, Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College, Vishnupuri, Nanded
2 Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Sawangi Meghe, DMIHER, Wardha

Year: 2023, Page: 57-63, Doi: https://doi.org/10.47799/pimr.1103.11

Received: Nov. 15, 2023 Accepted: Dec. 13, 2023 Published: Dec. 13, 2023

Abstract

Background: The educational environment can be described as the atmosphere perceived by the students and teachers. It affects the transfer/acquisition of knowledge and skills needed in training medical students. Assessing the Educational environment of medical schools is a current global trend and has even been suggested by the National Medical Commission. The DREEM tool is a widely accepted and globally validated instrument for assessing the educational environment in undergraduate medical institutions and has five subscales including perceptions of learning, perceptions of teachers, academic self-perceptions, perceptions of the environment and social self-perceptions. DREEM is a valid tool in referring to deficient areas in the learning process. 
Objective: To assess the student’s perception of the educational environment using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire among undergraduate medical students. 
Methodology: A Cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College, Nanded from January 2022 to December 2022 among 450 first to final-year MBBS students using the DREEM inventory scale. 
Results: The first-year students perceived the Educational environment most positively, with the highest global DREEM score of 120/200. The global scores of the 4th-year students were the lowest. The highest scores were recorded for the Student's perceptions of learning (SPL) domain (34.19/48, 71.23%), followed by student's academic self-perceptions (SASP) (22.21/32, 69.41%), student's perceptions of atmosphere (SPA) (32.25/48, 67.19%), student's perceptions of teachers (SPT) (30.48/44, 69.27%). 
Conclusion: The undergraduate medical student's perception of the educational environment is positive and there is scope for improvement and some general measures like improvement of student's accommodation, inclusion of stress relieving measures in the curriculum, encouragement of extra-curricular activities etc.

Keywords: DREEM, educational environment, Dundee ready scale, Nanded, Adult Learning

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Cite this article

Inamdar IF, Chaudhari S. Study to assess perceptions of the Educational Environment among medical undergraduate students using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Perspectives in Medical Research. 2023;11(3):57-63 DOI: 10.47799/pimr.1103.11

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