The Nigerian DREEM: Perception of Learning Environment among Clinical Medical Students in North Central Nigeria

Abstract Background: The learning environment of an academic institution has been defined to include social interactions, organisational cultures and structures, and physical and virtual spaces that surround and shape participants’ experiences, perceptions, and learning. The Dundee ready educational environment measure (DREEM) questionnaire, which has five domains, is a globally used tool used to access the perception of the learning environment. Aim: To assess the overall educational environment of clinical undergraduate medical students at the University using the DREEM questionnaire, and to determine the bio-social factors that influence students’ perception of this environment. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on clinical medical students of the College of Health Sciences, University of Jos The overall DREEM score for each respondent was obtained by summing up the scores for all 50 questions. The mean DREEM score was derived by finding the average DREEM score for all respondents. Domain DREEM scores were derived by adding up the scores for questions in each respective domain. Results: There was a total of 416 respondents across the four clinical classes, with the mean age of 21.6 years (SD 4.06 years). Of the respondents, 244 (58.7%) were male and 172 (41.3%) were female. The mean DREEM was 110.48 (±22.76) which indicated that there were more positives than negatives. The domain, students’ academic self-perception, had the highest mean score of 19.81/32 (59.38%), while students’ social self-perception had the lowest score of 13.09/28 (46.75). Out of the 50 questions, three areas were recognised as strengths, while 15 were identified as needing improvement. Conclusion: The learning environment was in the range of more positives than negatives. The students have a good academic self-perception. However, there is a need for institutional measures that would help review the curriculum and address the individual problems identified, hence improving the learning environment and quality of undergraduate medical training.