SHBC1191
Q.H.CHEW1, E.TAN2, M.Y.SUM1, K.SIM1
Institute of Mental Health1, KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital2
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.
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.
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.
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.
