Knowledge Mapping and Global Trends in Simulation in Medical Education: Bibliometric and Visual Analysis.

Abstract

Background: With the increasing recognition of the importance of simulation-based teaching in medical education, research in this field has developed rapidly. To comprehensively understand the research dynamics and trends in this area, we conducted an analysis of knowledge mapping and global trends.

Objective: This study aims to reveal the research hotspots and development trends in the field of simulation-based teaching in medical education from 2004 to 2024 through bibliometric and visualization analyses.

Methods: Using CiteSpace and VOSviewer, we conducted bibliometric and visualization analyses of 6743 articles related to simulation-based teaching in medical education, published in core journals from 2004 to 2024. The analysis included publication trends, contributions by countries and institutions, author contributions, keyword co-occurrence and clustering, and keyword bursts.

Results: From 2004 to 2008, the number of articles published annually did not exceed 100. However, starting from 2009, the number increased year by year, reaching a peak of 850 articles in 2024, indicating rapid development in this research field. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and China published the most articles. Harvard University emerged as a research hub with 1799 collaborative links, although the overall collaboration density was low. Among the 6743 core journal articles, a total of 858 authors were involved, with Lars Konge and Adam Dubrowski being the most prolific. However, collaboration density was low, and the collaboration network was relatively dispersed. A total of 812 common keywords were identified, forming 4189 links. The keywords "medical education," "education," and "simulation" had the highest frequency of occurrence. Cluster analysis indicated that "cardiopulmonary resuscitation" and "surgical education" were major research hotspots. From 2004 to 2024, a total of 20 burst keywords were identified, among which "patient simulation," "randomized controlled trial," "clinical competence," and "deliberate practice" had high burst strength. In recent years, "application of simulation in medical education," "3D printing," "augmented reality," and "simulation training" have become research frontiers.

Conclusions: Research on the application of simulation-based teaching in medical education has become a hotspot, with expanding research areas and hotspots. Future research should strengthen interinstitutional collaboration and focus on the application of emerging technologies in simulation-based teaching.