title: Perceptions of students in different phases of medical education of the educational environment: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was planned and designed to quantify the educational environment precisely for medical schools and health-related professional schools. DREEM is now considered a valid and reliable tool, which is globally accepted for measuring the medical educational environment. The educational environment encountered by students has an impact on satisfaction with the course of study, perceived sense of well-being, aspirations, and academic achievement. In addition to being measurable, the educational environment can also be changed, thus enhancing the quality of medical education and the environment, and the medical education process. The objective of this study was to assess the educational environment of the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) undergraduate medical program from the students' perspective. The study expected to explore UniSZA medical students' overall perceptions, perceptions of learning, teachers, atmosphere, academic self-perception, and social self-perception using the DREEM questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted to study the perceptions of the students toward the educational environment of UniSZA as a new medical school, using the DREEM questionnaire. All medical students of UniSZA from Years I-V enrolled in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programs were the target population (n=270). Therefore, the universal sampling technique was used. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 20 software. This study obtained ethical clearance from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UniSZA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 195 out of 270 students responded. Respondents included 31% males and 69% females. The overall DREEM scores were significantly higher (P<0.001) for females than males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The medical students at UniSZA showed a positive perception of their educational environment. The new medical faculty, established for only a few years, has achieved an above-average, conducive educational environment for students. Most of the students showed a positive perception for the entire five domains tested in the DREEM survey. Females were consistently satisfied with UniSZA's educational environment, and self-perception was high, as compared to male undergraduates.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nor Iza A
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Aniza Abd
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Zainal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zulkifli
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Muhammad Arshad
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Haj
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Farah Hanani Binti
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Mohd Nasir
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sharvina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pergalathan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Muhammad Ismail
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Hamidi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Salwani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nordin Bin
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Simbak
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mainul
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haque
keywords: DREEM; UniSZA; educational environment; medical students; perceptions
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