Students’ Perceptions on Educational Environment Using DREEM Questionnaire: An Experience from a Private Medical College of West Bengal

Background: Educational environment which consists of several factors such as physical environment (e.g., classroom and equipment), teachers, colleagues, and other student support systems affects students’ academic achievement, happiness, motivation, and success. Objectives: The present study was conducted to assess the perceptions of the students regarding the overall educational environment of an institute in terms of the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at IQ City Medical College, Durgapur, West Bengal, for a duration among 5 th -, 7 th -, and 9 th -semester students and interns with complete enumeration method. Out of enrolled 580 students, data could be collected from 407 students with a response rate of 72.5%. Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test were employed to see the differences of scores using SPSS software (version 19.0). Results: Overall, the DREEM score varied from 117 to 138 out of a possible score of 200. The score increased with increase in age group. In all other subdomains, the median score was found to be on positive side with few exceptions. Male students and interns had a higher median score in most of the subdomains. Conclusion: Although the students had the impression of positive educational environment, there are scopes for further improvement of educational environment.