Evaluation of the educational environment for medical interns at Tertiary Care Hospital in Peshawar, Using the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM): A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the educational environment for interns during their internship rotations and identify strengths and weaknesses across three domains: role of autonomy, teaching and social support, using the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) questionnaire in Peshawar. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Northwest General Hospital and Research Center, Peshawar. Period: July 2025 to December 2025. Setting: Among 204 medical interns at a tertiary care teaching hospital using the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) questionnaire. Data were collected from all major clinical departments. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Comparisons were made by gender using an independent samples t-test and across departments using one-way ANOVA. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: This PHEEM-based study found that the overall educational environment for house officers at Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre, Peshawar, was perceived as more positive than negative (mean total PHEEM score = 103.81 ± 26.73 out of 160). The highest-rated domain was Perception of Teaching (39.77 ± 11.78), followed by Role Autonomy (36.38 ± 8.92), while Perception of Social Support scored the lowest (27.67 ± 7.42). One-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences across departments in total PHEEM score (p = 0.021), Role Autonomy (p = 0.029), and Social Support (p = 0.010), with Medicine Allied and Surgery Allied departments consistently showing the highest scores and Obstetrics & Gynecology recording the lowest. Conclusion: The PHEEM-based study at Northwest General Hospital, Peshawar, revealed an excellent educational environment for medical interns. Surgery and Allied Medicine excelled, while Obstetrics and Gynaecology scored lowest, likely due to high workloads. Minor improvements in workload management and support facilities could further enhance the internship experience.