The educational environment of the undergraduate medical curriculum at Kuwait University

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of participating students (n=117)

Characteristics	Frequency
	N	(%)
Age (years)
≤20	37	(31.6)
21–22	44	(37.6)
≥23	36	(30.8)
Sex
Male	51	(43.6)
Female	66	(56.4)
Grade point average (out of 4.00)
2.00–2.49	34	(29.1)
2.50–2.99	46	(39.3)
3.00–3.49	29	(24.8)
3.50–4.00	8	(6.80)
Phase of study
Phase II (basic sciences)	62	(53.0)
Phase III (clinical sciences)	55	(47.0)

Table 2 Mean Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure score per domain/item according to the phase of the undergraduate study

Domain – item	Overall		Phase II		Phase III		P-value
	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
Students’ perception of teaching (out of 48)	25.2	6.42	25.2	6.53	25.2	6.35	0.961
I am encouraged to participate in class	2.17	1.06	2.10	1.13	2.25	0.99	0.424
The teaching is sufficiently concerned to develop my confidence	2.10	1.13	2.15	1.16	2.05	1.11	0.668
The teaching encourages me to be an active learner	2.00	1.19	1.87	1.26	2.15	1.10	0.214
The teaching is well focused	2.50	0.90	2.61	0.91	2.36	0.87	0.134
The teaching is sufficiently concerned to develop my competence	2.28	1.08	2.35	1.10	2.20	1.06	0.442
I am clear about the learning objectives of the course	2.47	0.92	2.50	0.90	2.44	0.94	0.709
The teaching is often stimulating	1.98	1.03	2.00	1.06	1.96	1.00	0.849
The teaching time is put to good use	2.09	1.08	2.16	1.07	2.00	1.09	0.422
The teaching is student-centered	2.33	1.11	2.37	1.13	2.29	1.10	0.700
Long-term learning is emphasized over short-term	2.32	1.14	2.19	1.24	2.47	1.02	0.189
The teaching is too teacher-centered	1.70	1.02	1.66	1.09	1.75	1.00	0.660
The teaching over-emphasizes factual learning	1.26	0.80	1.21	0.77	1.31	0.84	0.505
Students’ perception of teachers (out of 44)	24.6	5.46	25.2	5.93	22.7	4.85	0.232
The teachers are good at providing feedback to students	2.52	1.01	2.58	0.97	2.45	1.05	0.501
The teachers have good communications skills with patients	2.43	0.95	2.39	0.95	2.47	0.96	0.628
The teachers are knowledgeable	2.73	0.76	2.65	0.79	2.82	0.72	0.221
The teachers give clear examples	2.68	0.85	2.66	0.89	2.71	0.81	0.762
The teachers are well prepared for their classes	2.54	0.94	2.44	0.99	2.65	0.89	0.211
The teachers provide constructive criticism here	2.09	1.04	2.11	0.98	2.07	1.12	0.836
The teachers ridicule the students	1.87	1.15	2.13	1.11	1.58	1.13	0.010
The teachers get angry in class	1.66	1.08	1.92	1.12	1.36	0.95	0.005
The teachers are authoritarian	1.59	1.04	1.87	0.93	1.27	1.06	0.002
The teachers are patient with patients	2.38	0.83	2.39	0.86	2.38	0.81	0.973
The students irritate the teachers	2.11	1.15	2.05	1.17	2.18	1.14	0.534
Students’ academic self-perception (out of 32)	18.4	4.70	17.6	4.75	19.3	4.52	0.047
I am able to memorize all I need	1.45	1.04	1.34	1.06	1.58	1.01	0.207
Much of what I have to learn seems relevant to a career in medicine	2.67	0.96	2.56	1.03	2.78	0.85	0.221
I feel I am being well prepared for my profession	2.33	0.92	2.23	0.88	2.45	0.96	0.180
Last year’s work has been a good preparation for this year’s work	2.50	0.98	2.48	0.92	2.53	1.05	0.812
My problem-solving skills are being well developed here	2.45	1.06	2.32	1.16	2.60	0.94	0.160
I am confident about passing this year	2.06	1.26	1.97	1.36	2.16	1.14	0.402
I have learned a lot about empathy in my profession	3.12	0.83	2.98	0.88	3.27	0.76	0.061
Learning strategies which worked for me before continue to work for me now	1.79	1.09	1.68	1.07	1.91	1.11	0.253
Students’ perception of atmosphere (out of 48)	26.2	7.22	26.4	7.12	26.0	7.39	0.761
The atmosphere is relaxed during lectures	1.96	1.10	1.95	1.18	1.96	1.02	0.953
I feel able to ask the questions I want	2.49	1.09	2.44	1.17	2.55	1.00	0.587
I feel comfortable in class socially	2.38	0.98	2.39	1.00	2.38	0.97	0.997
There are opportunities for me to develop interpersonal skills	1.85	1.15	1.92	1.19	1.78	1.12	0.522
The atmosphere is relaxed during seminars/tutorials	2.15	1.09	2.10	1.10	2.20	1.08	0.610
The enjoyment outweighs the stress of studying medicine	1.37	1.16	1.24	1.24	1.51	1.07	0.217
The atmosphere motivates me as a learner	1.74	1.20	1.71	1.26	1.76	1.14	0.809
I am able to concentrate well	2.46	1.05	2.44	1.10	2.49	1.00	0.776
The atmosphere is relaxed during the ward teaching	1.94	0.98	1.90	0.94	1.98	1.03	0.666
This school is well timetabled	2.52	1.20	2.69	1.18	2.33	1.20	0.100
I find the experience disappointing	2.40	1.23	2.42	1.24	2.27	1.22	0.521
Cheating is a problem in this school	2.96	1.13	3.16	0.94	2.73	1.28	0.038
Students’ social self-perception (out of 28)	14.3	4.00	13.6	4.10	15.1	3.73	0.045
I have good friends in this school	3.28	0.95	3.29	0.97	3.27	0.93	0.920
There is a good support system for students who get stressed	0.88	0.86	0.84	0.93	0.93	0.79	0.582
I am too tired to enjoy this course	1.12	1.17	0.97	1.12	1.29	1.21	0.136
I am rarely bored on this course	1.18	1.07	1.10	1.02	1.27	1.13	0.378
My accommodation is pleasant	3.48	0.75	3.45	0.84	3.51	0.64	0.681
My social life is good	2.27	1.29	1.98	1.35	2.60	1.15	0.009
I seldom feel lonely	2.11	1.15	2.00	1.17	2.24	1.12	0.269
Total score (out of 200)	108.7	22.55	107.9	23.1	109.6	22.1	0.696

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 3 Mean Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure score per domain/item according to sex of the participants

Domain – item	Overall		Males		Females		P-value
	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
Students’ perception of teaching (out of 48)	25.2	6.42	26.2	6.37	24.5	6.40	0.151
I am encouraged to participate in class	2.17	1.06	2.35	1.04	2.03	1.07	0.103
The teaching is sufficiently concerned to develop my confidence	2.10	1.13	2.16	1.12	2.06	1.15	0.650
The teaching encourages me to be an active learner	2.00	1.19	1.88	1.18	2.09	1.20	0.349
The teaching is well focused	2.50	0.90	2.49	1.01	2.50	0.81	0.954
The teaching is sufficiently concerned to develop my competence	2.28	1.08	2.35	1.07	2.23	1.09	0.535
I am clear about the learning objectives of the course	2.47	0.92	2.73	0.87	2.27	0.90	0.007
The teaching is often stimulating	1.98	1.03	2.16	1.08	1.85	0.97	0.107
The teaching time is put to good use	2.09	1.08	2.22	1.12	1.98	1.05	0.253
The teaching is student-centered	2.33	1.11	2.49	1.16	2.21	1.07	0.182
Long-term learning is emphasized over short-term	2.32	1.14	2.47	1.07	2.21	1.20	0.227
The teaching is too teacher-centered	1.70	1.02	1.75	1.00	1.67	1.09	0.684
The teaching over-emphasizes factual learning	1.26	0.80	1.14	0.78	1.35	0.81	0.158
Students’ perception of teachers (out of 44)	24.6	5.46	25.0	6.19	24.3	4.85	0.474
The teachers are good at providing feedback to students	2.52	1.01	2.63	1.04	2.44	0.98	0.318
The teachers have good communications skills with patients	2.43	0.95	2.53	0.90	2.35	0.98	0.309
The teachers are knowledgeable	2.73	0.76	2.75	0.77	2.71	0.76	0.817
The teachers give clear examples	2.68	0.85	2.82	0.79	2.58	0.88	0.117
The teachers are well prepared for their classes	2.54	0.94	2.53	0.97	2.55	0.93	0.928
The teachers provide constructive criticism here	2.09	1.04	2.12	1.07	2.08	1.03	0.830
The teachers ridicule the students	1.87	1.15	2.10	1.17	1.70	1.11	0.061
The teachers get angry in class	1.66	1.08	1.59	1.08	1.71	1.08	0.539
The teachers are authoritarian	1.59	1.04	1.53	1.10	1.64	1.00	0.582
The teachers are patient with patients	2.38	0.83	2.59	0.80	2.25	0.82	0.019
The students irritate the teachers	2.11	1.15	1.84	1.21	2.32	1.01	0.026
Students’ academic self-perception (out of 32)	18.4	4.70	19.1	5.09	17.8	4.33	0.134
I am able to memorize all I need	1.45	1.04	1.75	1.07	1.23	0.96	0.007
Much of what I have to learn seems relevant to a career in medicine	2.67	0.96	2.63	1.11	2.70	0.82	0.698
I feel I am being well prepared for my profession	2.33	0.92	2.45	0.90	2.24	0.93	0.225
Last year’s work has been a good preparation for this year’s work	2.50	0.98	2.45	0.95	2.55	1.01	0.607
My problem-solving skills are being well developed here	2.45	1.06	2.49	1.19	2.42	0.96	0.741
I am confident about passing this year	2.06	1.26	2.41	1.27	1.79	1.18	0.007
I have learned a lot about empathy in my profession	3.12	0.83	3.14	0.75	3.11	0.90	0.842
Learning strategies which worked for me before continue to work for me now	1.79	1.09	1.80	1.18	1.77	1.02	0.879
Students’ perception of atmosphere (out of 48)	26.2	7.22	26.9	7.16	25.6	7.26	0.319
The atmosphere is relaxed during lectures	1.96	1.10	2.00	1.20	1.92	1.03	0.714
I feel able to ask the questions I want	2.49	1.09	2.63	1.17	2.38	1.02	0.222
I feel comfortable in class socially	2.38	0.98	2.39	1.06	2.38	0.92	0.942
There are opportunities for me to develop interpersonal skills	1.85	1.15	1.76	1.19	1.92	1.13	0.461
The atmosphere is relaxed during seminars/tutorials	2.15	1.09	2.20	1.13	2.11	1.05	0.658
The enjoyment outweighs the stress of studying medicine	1.37	1.16	1.31	1.14	1.41	1.19	0.662
The atmosphere motivates me as a learner	1.74	1.20	1.75	1.23	1.73	1.18	0.937
I am able to concentrate well	2.46	1.05	2.71	0.97	2.27	1.08	0.026
The atmosphere is relaxed during the ward teaching	1.94	0.98	2.04	1.00	1.86	0.96	0.337
This school is well timetabled	2.52	1.20	2.69	1.16	2.39	1.23	0.193
I find the experience disappointing	2.40	1.23	2.35	1.32	2.35	1.16	0.985
Cheating is a problem in this school	2.96	1.13	3.10	1.01	2.85	1.22	0.239
Students’ social self-perception (out of 28)	14.3	4.00	15.3	4.00	13.6	3.86	0.026
I have good friends in this school	3.28	0.95	3.47	0.88	3.14	0.98	0.058
There is a good support system for students who get stressed	0.88	0.86	0.90	0.92	0.86	0.82	0.813
I am too tired to enjoy this course	1.12	1.17	1.20	1.25	1.06	1.11	0.536
I am rarely bored on this course	1.18	1.07	1.18	1.03	1.18	1.11	0.979
My accommodation is pleasant	3.48	0.75	3.57	0.78	3.41	0.72	0.255
My social life is good	2.27	1.29	2.59	1.27	2.03	1.27	0.020
I seldom feel lonely	2.11	1.15	2.35	1.11	1.92	1.15	0.045
Total score (out of 200)	108.7	22.55	112.5	23.2	105.7	21.7	0.108

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.