The challenging reality of the clinical learning environment at Damascus University Faculty of Dental Medicine in Syria: A qualitative study

<ns4:p> Introduction In Syria, specialist dentists undergo five years of undergraduate education and four years of postgraduate education. In the latter, students engage in treating complex cases as part of their professional training. This study aimed to obtain in-depth qualitative understanding of the clinical learning environment at Damascus University Faculty of Dental Medicine, Syria. Methods Semi-structured interviews were held with eight postgraduate dental students at Damascus University Faculty of Dental Medicine. The faculty has eight clinical departments; therefore, a single participant was purposively sampled from each department. The male-female ratio of the eight interviewed participants was 1:1. All interviews were conducted between 26 <ns4:sup>th</ns4:sup> April 2020 and 8 <ns4:sup>th</ns4:sup> January 2021. Data were analyzed inductively using reflective thematic analysis. Pragmatic saturation was discussed during the analysis and the authors made an interpretative judgement to stop data collection at the eighth interview. Results Major themes which emerged covered different aspects of the clinical learning environment such as clinical training, social interaction and assessment procedures. Faculty’s negligence of their teaching duties was one of the most recurrent themes. In clinical training and due to faculty inaccessibility, students had to rely on themselves or their senior peers in training. The social climate was perceived negatively and assessment was described as unfair and biased. Discussion This study employed Gruppen’s conceptual framework to conduct a theory informed analysis of the clinical learning environment in a dental school with limited resources. The findings highlight important areas of improvement that needs addressing, including the unavailability of teaching staff, neglect of student needs, a competitive social atmosphere, and inconsistent assessment practices. Future research ought to focus on understanding the perspectives of teaching faculty and decision makers regarding the obstacles to implementing substantial reforms aimed at enhancing the clinical learning experience. </ns4:p>