The Landscape of Medical Education Internationalization in Iran Through a Scientometrics Lens

The internationalization of medical education is essential for preparing healthcare professionals to address global health challenges. In Iran, while this initiative has become a strategic priority, a systematic understanding of research trends in this area remains elusive. Therefore, we quantified the trend of research outputs in this domain by identifying publication trends, influential contributors, and key thematic developments.

This scientometric study was conducted based on a systematic analysis through the international databases PubMed and Scopus, without time limitation. Using validated strategies, duplicate records were removed, and eligible publications were analyzed using scientometric indicators: publication growth, citation impact, and collaboration networks. Data visualization was performed with VOSviewer to map co-authorship and thematic networks.

A total of 94 publications were analyzed, revealing a significant upward trend in research over the past decade. The average number of citations per publication was 2.32. Thematically, the core research areas included "internationalisation," "faculty mobility," and "higher education," while emerging topics highlighted "artificial intelligence" and "digital entrepreneurship." Tehran and Kerman universities of Medical Sciences emerged as leading contributors, although international collaborations accounted for only 4.3% of the publications.

While research on the internationalisation of medical education in Iran is growing, it is still in its nascent and developmental stage. Strengthening global partnerships, enhancing interdisciplinary collaborations, and prioritizing publications in high-impact journals are critical to increasing the field's global influence. Future research should integrate Iranian initiatives into international networks and focus on cross-regional comparisons to address the existing gaps.