Abstract:

Academic careers are currently very demanding for students. In particular, medical students are asked to develop multiple skills at high levels. In this context, the assessment of the educational climate (EC) at Medical School would allow to detect elements related to student performance, satisfaction and success, as well as opportunities for improvement.

Objective:
To assess the medical students' perception on the different aspects that influence the teaching-learning process, throughout their different areas of study: learning, teaching, academic environment, educational atmosphere and social environment.

Methods:
The internationally validated DREEM (Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure) questionnaire was used. It consists of 50 items, scoring each 1 to 4 points (maximum 200 points). Using this tool, a survey was conducted at the Medical School of the Complutense University of Madrid, during the academic year 2018-2019.

Results:
584 responses were obtained, corresponding to the same number of students who voluntarily participated in the study filling in the questionnaires. Students belonged to the first to the sixth year. Participants were stratified into preclinical (1st to 3rd year) and clinical (4th to 6th year), as well as by the University Hospital where they practiced. The average score was 126.7 points, corresponding to a level of satisfaction of 63.9% (above 150 points can be considered an excellent educational climate and below 100 a climate with problems to solve). No significant differences were observed between preclinical and clinical students or among the different teaching hospitals. In all the areas analyzed, the positive aspects overcame the negative ones.

Conclusions:
The average EC score obtained at our Institution allows us to conclude that, according to students' perception, there were more positive than negative aspects. Our results, in the different areas assessed, were consistent throughout all years at the Medical School, as well as at the different teaching hospitals.

Keywords:

Educational climate, medical school, academic environmental.