Assessing the Learning Environment Perception Among Medical Students at a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Learning Environments

Background:

• Assessing the medical student learning environment is crucial for quality undergraduate medical education.
• Tertiary hospitals serve as key clinical training sites for medical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate medical students' perceptions of their learning environment at Alfaisal University College of Medicine (AUCOM) in a Saudi Arabian tertiary hospital.
• Identify specific strengths and weaknesses within the educational setting.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the validated Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire.
• Administered to all Year 4 and Year 5 medical students during the 2020-2021 academic year.
• Analyzed data using SPSS, comparing scores across student cohorts.

Main Results:

• Overall DREEM score indicated a "more positive than negative environment" (120.45/200), suggesting room for enhancement.
• Students' social self-perception emerged as a problematic domain.
• Female students reported significantly more positive perceptions of learning compared to male students.
• Eight individual questions highlighted curriculum areas needing attention.

Conclusions:

• Referral-based tertiary hospitals can provide a positive learning environment for undergraduate medical students.
• Specific curriculum areas require further investigation and potential revision to address identified concerns.