Assessing the Learning environment of major Specialty PGRs in a tertiary care Hospital by Health Education Learning Environment Survey (HELES)”

Abstract

Introduction: There are many surveys available to quantify -post-graduate residents’ educational climate but they lack validity and theoretical background. Health education learning environment survey (HELES) is used in undergraduates with good results.
Objective: To quantify the current health education learning environment of our post-graduate residents of FCPS/MS/MD in Surgery, Medicine, and Gynae & Obstetrics in a tertiary care hospital by using the HELES tool. This quantification will help Supervisors, Hospital administrators to monitor their programs, suggest, and bring improvement.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in Services Institute of Medical Sciences Lahore from 10th Sep to 1st Oct 2019. A sum of 90 residents in the FCPS/MS/MD program with 30 each from Surgery, Medicine, and Gynae & Obstetrics were selected. Their response, graded through Likert scale, on a valid HELES proforma with 35 questions subdivided into 3 main dimensions & 6 factors was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 and a p-value of 0.05 was taken as significant.
Results: Out of 90 residents, 57 (63.3%) were males and 33 (36.7%) females. The mean age was 27.4 ± 3.6 years. The mean score of the residents in Surgery, Medicine, and Gynae & Obs in all the 3 dimensions remained below the reference values, implying their dissatisfaction with the learning environment. Out of 6 factors, PGRs showed maximum dissatisfaction in the Faculty relationship (88%) than in work-life balance (62%) and clinical skill development & expectations (61%). In the System maintenance dimension, residents in Gynae & Obs, with a mean score of 40.4, were having a significantly low score as compared to Medicine, 46.2, and Surgery, 45.9. The comparison of means among different specialties was 0.02, which was significant. Resident’s response in all three dimensions with their year of training was significant with a p-value of < 0.05. The 2nd year residents of all 3 specialties scored high in all three dimensions.
Conclusion: Three major specialties; Medicine, Surgery, and Gynae & Obs PGRs in a local tertiary care hospital, were dissatisfied with their health education learning environment as measured through HELES.
 
Keywords:
Health, education, learning, environment, residents, HELES