Abstract
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Abstract
Year 2021
October 2021

SHBC1191

Abstract Title
The Impact of the Perception of Educational Environment on the Learning of Psychiatry Amongst Medical Undergraduates
Authors

Q.H.CHEW1, E.TAN2, M.Y.SUM1, K.SIM1

Institutions

Institute of Mental Health1, KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital2

Background & Hypothesis

Amongst medical undergraduates, although the perception of educational environment (EE) has been associated with academic achievement, positive attitude toward the course and preparedness for practice, there is sparse data on how it influences learning processes and outcomes including within psychiatry training. Consistent with situativity and self-determination learning theories, we hypothesized that a positive perception of EE within psychiatry postings will be beneficial for the learning process, particularly by providing students greater motivation to learn, better engagement, allowing them to feel more equipped, and greater appreciation of the subject.

Methods

The DREEM (Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure) was administered to fourth-year medical undergraduate students undergoing psychiatry rotations from 2015-2019. The students also completed five additional items evaluating various learning processes and overall rating of the posting. We examined the relationship between DREEM domains and learning processes including motivation to learn, engagement, equipping, and appreciation of the subject.

Results

Altogether, 1343 (response rate 89.5%) medical undergraduates participated in the study. The overall DREEM score was 157.01 ± 15.86. Overall DREEM and subdomain scores were significantly correlated with various learning processes. Motivation and engagement were significant mediators of the relationship between total DREEM scores and overall rating of the psychiatry posting.

Discussion & Conclusion

Our results highlighted that that a positive perception of EE was associated with various learning processes which mediated the overall rating of the posting. In the context of relevant learning theories (situativity, self-determination, constructivism), undergraduate psychiatry training should continually seek to enhance the EE so as to optimise learning through better motivation and engagement.

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