# Measuring Clinical Learning Environment Across Three Residency Programs Using a Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) Scale at a Tertiary Care Hospital in the United Arab Emirates

## TL;DR

This study evaluated the clinical learning environment for residency trainees in the UAE using a validated questionnaire to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

## Contribution

The study applies the PHEEM scale in a UAE hospital setting to assess residency training environments and highlights specific areas needing improvement.

## Key findings

- Trainees showed a generally positive perception of role autonomy and teaching.
- Social support scores were lower, indicating a need for improvement in interpersonal environments.
- Female trainees reported slightly higher perceptions of social support.

## Abstract

Background

The clinical learning environment for hospital trainees needs evaluation for patient safety and healthcare quality to acquire theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, and problem-solving abilities.

Objective

We evaluated participants from three residency programs at a teaching hospital as per the PHEEM questionnaire domains to understand the learning environment and areas of improvement in the program.

Methods

After study approval, a cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to March 2024 with a validated questionnaire, which was piloted and administered online to 51 participants with slight modifications for cultural inclusivity and relevance and also checked for reliability and validity. The response rate was 100% for all questions. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Statistics Version 22.0 at p < 0.05.

Results

A total of 51 participants completed the questionnaire, and the majority of the trainees were males and emergency medicine residents. Perceptions of role autonomy and perception of teaching had a mean score of 38.7 (out of 52) and 45.9 (out of 60), respectively, indicating a generally positive outlook, while perception of social support had a mean score of 33.0 (out of 44). The total mean study score was 117.7 out of 156. The mean scores for all items ranged from 2.51±1.03 to 3.31±0.58. Areas for improvement included collaborating with other doctors who are in the same year. The results revealed no significant variations in the scores across different strata. There was a slightly higher perception of social support among female students.

Conclusion

This study revealed a positive perception and outlook toward various domains. There is a need to provide counseling services for a better interpersonal environment at work.