title: The Malaysia DREEM: perceptions of medical students about the learning environment in a medical school in Malaysia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Students' perceptions of their learning environment, by defining its strengths and weaknesses, are important for continuous improvement of the educational environments and curriculum. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore students' perceptions of their learning environment, among medical students in Malaysia. Various aspects of the education environment were compared between year levels and sex.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Malaysia in 2012. A total number of 438 medical students participated in this study, and the response rate was 87.6%. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Comparisons of the mean scores of Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) subscales were calculated. The t-test was used to determine statistically significant differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the study participants were female, Malay, and from year 3 (68.7%, 65.3%, and 55.7%; respectively). Analysis of each of the 50 items of the DREEM inventory showed that 47 items scored ranged between 2.00 and 3.00, and three items scored below 2.00. These were identified as problem areas in this medical school that are required to be critically addressed. The overall score showed that the medical students' perceptions were positive. The students' perception toward educational environment was positive for all five DREEM subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study found that, in general, the perceptions of the participants about the learning environment were positive. Nevertheless, the study also found there is a need for curriculum improvement in this school and identified priority areas for such improvement.
authors: Population Health and Preventive Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.
authors: Redhwan A
authors: RA
authors: Al-Naggar
authors: Pharmacology Department, International Medical School, Management and Science University, Malaysia ; Pharmacology Department, Unaizah College of Pharmacy (UCP), Qassim University, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Mahfoudh
authors: M
authors: Abdulghani
authors: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine & Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Muhamed T
authors: MT
authors: Osman
authors: Population Health and Preventive Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.
authors: Waqar
authors: W
authors: Al-Kubaisy
authors: Department of Community medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Aqil Mohammad
authors: AM
authors: Daher
authors: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Islamic Science University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Khairun Nain Bin
authors: KN
authors: Nor Aripin
authors: Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Sana'a University, Yemen.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Assabri
authors: University of Science and Technology, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors: Dawood A
authors: DA
authors: Al-Hidabi
authors: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Mohamed Izham B Mohamed
authors: MI
authors: Ibrahim
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang, Malaysia.
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Al-Rofaai
authors: Physiology Discipline-Faculty Of Medicine and Health Sciences-Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors: Hisham S
authors: HS
authors: Ibrahim
authors: Laboratory Medical Science Cluster, Drug Discovery & Health Community of Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.
authors: Hassanain
authors: H
authors: Al-Talib
authors: Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Discipline, Drug Discovery & Health Community of Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.
authors: Alyaa
authors: A
authors: Al-Khateeb
authors: University of Science and Technology, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors: Gamil Qasem
authors: GQ
authors: Othman
authors: University of Science and Technology, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors: Qaid Ali
authors: QA
authors: Abdulaziz
authors: Social and Preventive Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Karuthan
authors: K
authors: Chinna
authors: Faculty of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Yuri V
authors: YV
authors: Bobryshev
keywords: DREEM; Malaysia; learning environment; medical education; students’ perceptions