Student’s Perception of the Educational Environment within the Medical Semiology Subject

Abstract: Introduction: In 2014, the Medical School of the Federal University of Goias (FM-UFG) started its curricular changing process. The disciplines of Semiology I and II started to use active teaching methodologies to fit the curricular reform needs. The objective of this article was to evaluate the FM-UFG students’ perception of the Educational Environment in the disciplines of Semiology I and II. Method: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study encompassing 86 students. The data collection tool was the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire, in its Portuguese version. Results were considered at three levels: individual questions, five domains and global DREEM. Mean values, standard deviation and respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The internal reliability of the DREEM was determined using Cronbach’s alpha; the sample normality was determined using the Shapiro-Wilk test; and the comparison between the mean score percentages of the domains and of the global DREEM was performed by ANOVA ,followed by Tukey’s test. Results: The global DREEM mean was 134.83 / 200 ± 17.42, a more positive than negative perception. The five domains showed the following results: Students’ Perception of Learning - SPL (32.74 / 48 ± 5.59 / a more positive approach); Students’ Perception of Teachers - SPT (32.71 / 44 ± 6.23 / going in the right direction); Students’ Academic Self-Perception - SASP: (20.22 / 32 ± 4.09 / feeling more on the positive side); Students’ Perception of the Atmosphere - SPA (31.74 / 48 ± 5.69 / a more positive attitude); Students’ Social Self-Perception - SSSP: (17.42 / 28 ± 3.83 / not too bad). Some issues were found in relation to: memorizable facts; previous teaching methodology; and, fatigue to attend the discipline. The SPT was the domain with the largest number of strong areas. Statistical significance was found when comparing the mean score percentages of the domains and the global DREEM. Conclusion: Students positively evaluated the educational environment in the subjects Semiology I and II created by the new active teaching methodologies adopted by the institution, with the SPT domain being highlighted.