Perception of Environment and Educational Outcomes by Students and Faculty in Traditional Versus Integrated Curriculum

Objective: To find out the differences in the perceptions of the environment and educational outcomes of the students and the faculty from the traditional and integrated curriculum using DREEM inventory. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Sindh Medical College and Liaquat National Medical College, Karachi, from December 2016 to December 2017. Methodology: Two medical colleges in Karachi, a traditional (Liaquat National Medical College) and an integrated (Sindh Medical College) curricular environments, were selected. Using DREEM questionnaire (for the students and adapted for faculty responses), data was collected from 157 preclinical and clinical faculty and students. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for each of the 50 items separately, for the domains, and for the global DREEM score. A comparative analysis was performed using student's t-test between the traditional and integrated environments students, faculty, and the students with the respective medical college. Results: Overall response rate was 92.6% (101 students, 56 faculty members). The study found difference in the perception of students and faculty in the integrated curricular environment. The traditional curricular environment had no difference in perceptions between faculty and students. Generally, students from the integrated curricular environment had similar perceptions as the traditional curricular environment students. Conclusion: Overall the integrated curriculum-environment faculty and students both had more positive than negative perceptions of environment. There is a difference in the perceptions of students and faculty working in the integrated curricular environment. All the negative scored areas need to be addressed.