ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Descriptive & Survey Study

Authors

Mohseni   R. (1)
Sandoughdar   N. (*)
Bradaran   H.R. (2)
Kouhpayezadeh   J. (3)






(*) Speech Therapy Unit, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
(1) Speech Therapy Unit, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
(2) Medical Education Department, Public Health School, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
(3) Social Medicine Department, Medicine Faculty, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Speech Therapy Clinic, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Araabi Street, Yaman Street, Park Way, Chamran Highway, Tehran, Iran
Phone: +982123031619
Fax: +982122432570
n.sandoughdar@sbmu.ac.ir

Article History

Received:  October  4, 2015
Accepted:  December 30, 2015
ePublished:  March 28, 2016

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-5] The first stage to reduce and remove the clinical training problems is the identification of them, and any professionalization in the medical sciences requires continuous investigations of the current situation, empowering the strengths and removing all the weaknesses [6, 9, 10]. … [11]

The effects of the educational programs on the assistants’ viewpoints relating to the quality of life and the educational environment have been studied using DREEM as a questionnaire to assess the educational environment [12]. The questionnaire has been also used to assess the satisfaction levels of the assistants of gynecology with their own educational environment [13]. DREEM model has been used as well to assess the students’ comprehension from medical academic environments [14]. … [15, 16]

The aim of this study was to assess the educational environment based on DREEM model from the viewpoints of the speech-therapy interns in the clinical wards (neurosurgery and ear, nose, and throat wards) of Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital of Iran University of medical Sciences.

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study.

The last-year (7th and 8th semesters) BS speech-therapy interns studying in the internal wards of Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, including neurosurgery and ear, throat, and nose wards, were studied in the first and second semesters of the academic year 2013-14.

59 interns were selected via census method.

Data was collected using standard and localized DREEM questionnaire. The tool consists of 44 questions assessing five domains including the student’s attitude towards learning, the intern’s comprehension of teaching capability of the teachers, the intern’s comprehension of her own scientific capabilities, educational atmosphere, and the student’s comprehension of her own social conditions. The scoring is done based on the five choices, including “completely agree” (4 scores),”agree” (3 scores), “I am not sure.” (2 scores), “disagree” (1 score), and “completely disagree” (no score). Total score of the questionnaire is classified as unfavorable (0-44), moderately favorable (45-84), favorable (85-132), and very favorable (133-176). Its reliability was assessed through a pilot study on 15 speech-therapy interns using test-retest in at least a two-week interval (r=0.87). In addition, its formal consistency was confirmed via a survey from the teachers of neurology and ear, throat, and nose wards. Data was analyzed by SPSS 18 software using descriptive statistics and independent T test (to compare the mean scores of the educational environment).

15 and 44 interns were male and female, respectively. There was no significant differences between the total mean scores of the educational environments in male and female interns (p>0.05). Mean total score of the five domains of educational environment was 125.7 (of 176) scores, showing a favorable educational quality. Mean scores of learning, teachers, interns’ scientific capabilities, educational environment, and the intern’s comprehension of her own social conditions domains were 31.1 (of 44), 27.3 (of 36), 15.2 (of 24), 35.0 (of 48), and 17.1 (of 24) scores, respectively. Only the intern’s comprehension of the teacher’s learning capability was assessed very favorable, and other domains were favorable (Table 1). There was no significant difference between the viewpoints of male and female interns (p=0.124), single and married interns (p=0.869), and7- and 8-semester interns (p=0.243) about the educational environment. There was only a significant difference in the teachers’ domain based on the gender (p=0.03).

There was no significant difference between the viewpoints of 7- and 8-semester interns, females and males, and single and married interns. There are similar viewpoints of the medical students about the learning atmosphere [17, 18]. There is, also, a significant difference between the viewpoints of the interns and assistants [19]. … [20] The educational environment was assessed favorable by 7- and 8-semester interns. Lack of any significant difference between the attitudes of males and females in the educational environment shows equal educational atmosphere for both genders, and the problems of the interns out of the university should be considered as effective factors on motivations and a proper educational environment [21, 22]. Some of the effective factors are fitness of the parts of physical environment [23, 24] and the way to connect primarily the teachers with the student in the educational environment [25, 26].

The clinical educational program for the interns should be revised and changed. Educational workshops should be conducted to enhance teaching and learning skills, to provide favorable clinical environment, and to follow up the interns’ social problems.

Small sample size was of the limitation.

Based on the DREEM model, the educational environment of the clinical wards including neurosurgery and ear, throat, and nose wards of Rasoul-e-Aktram Hospital of Iran University of Medical Sciences is assessed favorable from the viewpoints of speech-therapy interns.

Dr. Baradaran and Dr. Kouhpayezade are appreciated.

Non-declared

The study was confirmed by the Ethics Committee of Medical Education and Development of Iran University of Medical Sciences. Written consents were obtained from the patients and the patients’ information was kept as secret.

The paper is a part of an MS thesis.

TABLES and CHARTS

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