Medical students’ perceptions of their learning environment during clinical years at Chitwan Medical College in Nepal

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of participating students

Characteristics
Sex	Male Female	N=66 (64%) N=37 (36%)
Age, years		22.8±1.1
Year of study	Fourth-year MBBS Fifth-year MBBS	N=60 (58%) N=43 (42%)
Category	Self-funded Scholarship awardee	N=99 (96%) N=04 (04%)

Abbreviations: MBBS, bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery; N, number.

Table 2 Mean (SD) DREEM domain scores of MBBS clinical years students

	Number of questions	Maximum DREEM score	Mean±SD score
Students’ Perception of Learning (SPL)	12	48	29.80±6.0
Students’ Perception of Teachers (SPT)	11	44	25.90±4.6
Students’ Academic Self-Perception (SASP)	8	32	20.30±3.4
Students’ Perceptions of Atmosphere (SPA)	12	48	28.60±5.0
Students’ Social Self Perceptions (SSSP)	7	28	17.27±2.5
Total DREEM score	50	200	122.0±18.0

Abbreviations: DREEM, dundee ready education environment measure; SD, standard deviation; MBBS, bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery.

Table 3 Participants’ response to individual items of DREEM

Statements	Strongly agree (no.)	Agree (no.)	Uncertain (no.)	Disagree (no.)	Strongly disagree (no.)	Mean score ± SD
Students’ Perception of Learning (SPL)
1. I am encouraged to participate during teaching sessions	17	56	19	9	2	2.75±0.90
7. The teaching is often stimulating	7	63	24	8	1	2.65±0.76
13. The teaching is student centered	2	52	25	19	5	2.26±0.94
16. The teaching helps to develop my competence	13	63	21	6	0	2.81±0.72
20. The teaching is well focused	4	55	34	9	1	2.50±0.75
21. I feel I am being well prepared for my profession	8	56	28	7	4	2.55±0.88
24. The teaching time is put to good use	2	49	23	26	3	2.20±0.94
25. The teaching over emphasizes factual learning	1	37	32	32	1	2.05±0.86
38. I am clear about the learning objectives of the course	7	69	15	12	0	2.69±0.76
44. The teaching encourages me to be an active learner	11	55	26	11	0	2.64±0.81
47. Long-term learning is emphasized over short term learning	6	62	25	8	2	2.60±0.79
48. The teaching is too teacher centered	9	32	30	29	3	1.85±1.00
Students’ Perception of Teachers (SPT)
2. The teachers are knowledgeable	41	54	8	0	0	3.32±0.61
6. The teachers adopt a patient-centered approach to consulting	5	55	30	10	3	2.48±0.85
8. The teachers ridicule the students	1	21	38	39	4	2.23±0.85
9. The teachers are authoritarian	6	49	33	15	0	1.55±0.81
18. The teachers have good communication skills with patients	16	66	16	4	1	2.89±0.74
29. The teachers are good at providing feedback to students	5	48	24	23	3	2.28±0.96
32. The teachers provide constructive criticism here	4	52	28	18	1	2.39±0.85
37. The teachers give clear examples	2	51	34	13	3	2.35±0.83
39. The teachers get angry in class	6	32	43	20	2	1.81±0.88
40. The teachers are well prepared for their teaching sessions	11	65	18	6	3	2.73±0.84
49. I feel able to ask the questions I want	6	40	23	29	5	2.13±1.00
Students’ Academic Self-Perception (SASP)
5. Learning strategies which worked for me before, continue to work for me now	3	47	27	17	9	2.17±1.00
10. I am confident about my passing this year	36	49	16	2	0	3.16±0.75
22. The teaching helps to develop my confidence	15	61	19	7	1	2.80±0.80
26. Last year’s work has been a good preparation for this year’s work	5	45	26	23	4	2.23±0.98
27. I am able to memorize all I need	4	20	27	45	7	1.70±0.98
31. I have learnt a lot about empathy in my profession	21	63	16	3	0	2.99±0.69
41. My problem-solving skills are being well developed here	6	56	30	10	1	2.54±0.78
45. Much of what I have to learn seems relevant to a career in healthcare	5	73	9	5	0	2.97±0.66
Students’ Perceptions of Atmosphere (SPA)
11. The atmosphere is relaxed during ward teaching	3	35	28	31	6	1.98±1.00
12. This medical school is well timetabled	3	22	23	37	18	1.56±1.10
17. Cheating is a problem in this medical school	4	19	17	31	32	2.66±1.20
23. The atmosphere is relaxed during lectures	5	48	34	15	1	2.40±0.83
30. There are opportunities for me to develop inter-personal skills	6	59	26	9	3	2.54±0.84
33. I feel comfortable in class socially	20	66	14	3	0	3.00±0.67
34. The atmosphere is relaxed during seminars/tutorials	6	54	25	16	2	2.45±0.89
35. I find the experience disappointing	2	9	33	51	8	2.52±0.83
36. I am able to concentrate well	3	55	31	13	1	2.45±0.78
42. The enjoyment outweighs the stress of the studying medicine	9	43	25	22	4	2.30±1.00
43. The atmosphere motivates me as a learner	10	61	20	12	0	2.61±0.80
50. The students irritate the teachers	11	33	26	19	14	1.92±1.20
Students’ Social Self Perceptions (SSSP)
3. There is a good support system for students who get stressed	0	11	42	36	14	1.49±0.86
4. I am too tired to enjoy this course	1	13	28	57	4	2.49±0.80
14. I am rarely bored on this course	2	31	24	37	9	1.81±1.00
15. I have good friends in this medical school	46	50	2	4	1	3.32±0.78
19. My social life is good	21	62	16	4	0	2.97±0.72
28. I seldom feel lonely	6	46	22	25	4	2.24±1.00
46. My accommodation is pleasant	17	70	12	3	1	2.96±0.69