Measuring the medical school learning environment.

Medical educators' growing concern over the high level of student stress has been accompanied by a shift in their conceptualization of the problem. Student stress is increasingly seen as a problem resulting from the individual's interaction with the learning environment and not as an indication of personal deficiency. This shift has made evident the need for an instrument capable of assessing the significant dimensions of the medical school learning environment. This report describes how the Medical School Learning Environment Survey (MSLES) was developed to measure aspects of the learning environment relevant to student stress. Results of the first administration and plans for future projects using the survey are discussed.