Abstract

BACKGROUND: The educational environment in medical schools is a critical factor influencing students' academic performance and overall learning experience. This study aimed to explore pre-clerkship medical students’ perceptions of the learning environment at Arabian Gulf University (AGU) in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

AIM: This study sought to evaluate the educational environment for pre-clerkship medical students at AGU using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM), assessing both strengths and areas requiring improvement.

METHODS: A bilingual (Arabic and English) version of the DREEM instrument, validated for diagnosing the quality of educational environments, was administered to 324 undergraduate pre-clerkship students at AGU across the second, third, and fourth academic years. Data analysis employed both parametric and non-parametric tests to assess the relationship between DREEM scores and variables such as academic year, gender, nationality, and academic performance.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences in students’ perceptions based on academic year or gender. However, significant differences were observed in nationality and academic achievement (p = 0.048 and p = 0.018, respectively).

CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that pre-clerkship students generally perceive AGU’s learning environment positively. However, the study identified specific areas within the educational environment that may benefit from targeted improvement strategies to enhance the overall learning experience.

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