Background: Educational atmosphere is one of the influential factors in teaching and learning processes. This study aimed to investigate the educational atmosphere during the preclinical science courses from the perspective of medical students.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, educational environment was evaluated using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM). Sampling was conducted via census and the study population included all medical students passing their basic courses in the faculty of medicine affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical Sciences in Bushehr, Iran. The measuring tool of educational environment of DREEM is a 50-item questionnaire on a five-item Likert type (0-4) in five domains (ranging from 0 to 200 points). Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16.0.
Results: Ninety medical students participated in this study with a mean age of 25.18 + 1.15. Of the participants, 53.3% were male and 91.1% were single. The results showed that, in general, medical students assessed the educational environment of the medical school as semi-favorable. The maximum scores of the dimensions of the educational environment belonged to the areas of social conditions, interaction with professors, and students' perception of learning, respectively. The lowest mean belonged to the educational atmosphere of the faculty. There was a significant relationship between gender, marital status, and age of the students and comments on the five areas of the educational environment (P <0.05).
Conclusion: The students evaluated the educational environment of the faculty as semi-favorable and the lowest satisfaction score was related to the educational atmosphere of the faculty. Attitudes of female and single students towards the educational environment were more positive.