Medical students’ perception of the educational environment in a medical college in India: a cross-sectional study using the Dundee Ready Education Environment questionnaire

PURPOSE The objective of this study was to assess student perceptions of the environment in this medical college using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM). METHODS Cross-sectional study; 348 medical student volunteers (68.1%) of all semesters participated (511 enrolled). DREEM has 50 items, each rated from 0-4 (Likert scale: 0, strongly disagree to 4, strongly agree), that measure five domains: students' perceptions of learning; perceptions of teachers; academic self-perception; perceptions of the atmosphere; and social self-perception. Mean item scores, domain scores, and global scores were computed. RESULTS The three highest rated items were knowledgeable teachers, having good friends, and confidence about passing; the three most problematic items were a poor support system for stressed students, inability to memorize everything, and over-emphasis on factual learning. The percentage score for perception of learning (47.26± 14.85) was significantly lower than that for teachers (52.28± 9.91; P< 0.001); academic self-perception (52.14 ± 15.21; P < 0.001); perception of the atmosphere (51.21 ± 13.60; P = 0.001); and social self-perception (50.63± 13.90; P= 0.010). The global scores were lowest for eighth-semester students (89.8± 21.24) when compared to second (101.33± 21.05; P= 0.003), fourth (107.69± 18.96; P< 0.001), and sixth (100.07± 20.61; P= 0.020). CONCLUSION Improvement is required across all domains of the educational environment at this institution. Students, particularly of the eighth semester, perceived the teaching negatively. The lowest scores were given to the support system, burdensome course content, and factual learning; thus, a hybrid curriculum that includes problem-based learning might provide students with stimulating learning; structured clinical teaching with specific curricular objectives, as well as mentoring of senior students by faculty and near-peers, might improve the learning environment for senior students.