The impact of educational environment on academic thriving among medical students: insights from a multinational cross-sectional survey

Background: Academic thriving encompasses students’ cognitive engagement, emotional well-being, and sense of belonging. The educational environment plays a vital role in supporting thriving, particularly in the demanding context of medical education. Limited multinational data exists on how educational environments influence thriving in MENA region. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between the educational environment and academic thriving among medical students across Arabic-speaking countries, using validated assessment tools. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design was employed. A total of 1,246 undergraduate medical students from five Arab countries participated in an online survey conducted between February and March 2025. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) assessed perceptions of the educational environment, while the Thriving Quotient (TQ) evaluated students’ academic engagement and well-being. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, inferential tests, correlation, and regression analyses. Results: Participants reported generally positive perceptions of their educational environment (mean DREEM score: 113.79 ± 27.76) and moderate levels of thriving (Overall TQ mean was 95.38 ± 18.22). Strongest correlations with academic thriving were found in the domains of academic self-perception and social self-perception. Regression analysis revealed that educational environment variables explained 38.7% of the variance in thriving outcomes (p < 0.001). Socio-demographic variables, including gender, financial status, and awareness of student support services, significantly influenced both DREEM and TQ scores. Conclusions: The educational environment plays a significant role in shaping academic thriving among medical students. Institutions should focus on improving academic support, fostering inclusive environments, and strengthening student-centered teaching strategies to enhance both learning and psychological outcomes. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.