Roya Vatankhah - M.Sc. in Medical Education, Medical Education Development Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Sakineh Sabzevari - Ph.D. in Nursing, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Mohammadreza Baneshi - Ph.D. in Biostatistics, Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Modeling in Health, Institute for Future Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Background  &  Objective:  Clinical  environments  have  a  crucial  role  on  medical  students' training. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess clinical environments based on the (Dundee Ready  Education  Environment  Measure)  DREEM  model  from  the  viewpoint  of  interns  and residents in hospitals affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in ۲۰۱۲. Methods:  This  was  a  descriptive-analytic  study.  The  data  collection  tool  was  the  DREEM Questionnaire with ۵۰ questions (۵-point Likert scale) in the ۵ domains of learning, teachers, educational environment, student's academic self-perceptions, and student's social self-perceptions. The study environment consisted of ۴ main wards (internal, surgical, pediatrics, and gynecology) of hospitals affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences. The study subjects consisted of ۶۳ interns and ۷۳ residents. Data was analyzed in SPSS software using Students' t-test and ANOVA. Results: Mean score of perception of educational environment in interns was ۱۶۱.۱۷ ± ۲۲.۳۰ and in residents was ۱۵۷.۴۵ ± ۲۱.۱۴. The comparison of different areas of clinical environment evaluation only showed a significant difference between the two groups in the area of student's social self-perceptions (P < ۰.۰۵). The interns' score was higher than that of the residents. No significant differences were observed between hospitals and the studied wards. Conclusion: The students' perceptions of their educational environment in clinical wards were desirable. Despite different literature's recommendation of using DREEM in order to evaluate weaknesses and strengths of clinical environments, the concurrent use of other methods and instruments for the assessment of the efficacy of this questionnaire is recommended.

DREEM model, Assessment, Residents, Interns, Iran