title: [Study on Portuguese Medical Schools' Learning Conditions: A National Analysis on Student Satisfaction, Student-Tutor Ratios and Number of Admissions].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experiences of clinical and nonclinical learning environments, as well as assessment and study environments influence student satisfaction with their medical schools. Student-tutor ratios may impact on their perception of clinical learning environments. The aim of this study was to analyze medical students' satisfaction and student-tutor ratios in relation to medical schools' number of admissions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was created, regarding learning, assessment and study environments in eight medical schools. 2037 students participated in this cross-sectional study. Cronbach' alpha (internal consistency) was calculated and principal component analysis was conducted. Pearson correlations and multiple comparisons were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Assessment environments showed the highest satisfaction scores and clinical learning environments the lowest scores. The national student-tutor ratio in clinical rotations is 7.53; there are significant differences among schools. Institutions with higher number of admissions showed the lowest scores of overall student satisfaction (r = -0.756; p < 0.05), which decreased with progression in the medical course. High student-tutor ratios are strongly correlated with low levels of satisfaction regarding clinical learning environments (r = -0.826; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical learning environments show the lowest satisfaction scores, which may expose the effect of high ratios in clinical rotations. Depending on the number of admissions, significant differences between medical schools were found. Quality of teaching-learning strategies and articulation with hospitals might also be important variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical schools with more admissions might be more susceptible to lower scores of student satisfaction. High student-tutor ratios in clinical rotations may reduce the quality of learning experiences and inhibit the acquisition of competences.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grilo Diogo
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Afonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coimbra
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coelho Silva
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nixon Martins
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Constança
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Gonçalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Garcia Moreira
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goulão
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Trabalho em Educação Médica. Associação Nacional de Estudantes de Medicina.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magano
mesh_terms: D004501:Education, Medical; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011174:Portugal; D012570:School Admission Criteria / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires