Scholarly Research Output and Trends in Medical Education from the Arab Region (2005-2024): A Bibliometric Analysis

Medical education research (MER) is crucial for aligning educational strategies with healthcare demands. Despite growing interest in the Arab region, little is known about its regional research productivity, collaboration patterns, and thematic evolution. This study aimed to assess the performance and trends of research in the field of medical education from the Arab region.

A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science (WoS) database, covering publications on medical education from 2005 to 2024 across 22 Arab countries. Bibliometric indicators, at the document, author, and country levels, along with collaboration network and thematic trends, were analyzed using the R-bibliometrix package.

Out of 47,237 global articles, the Arab region contributed 1844 (3.9%), led by Saudi Arabia (n=902), the UAE, and Egypt. A notable increase in publication volume was observed from 2019 onward. The Egyptian Knowledge Bank and King Saud University emerged as leading affiliations and funders. BMC Medical Education and Medical Teacher were the most productive journals. The analysis identified variations in publication volume and citation impact across the Arab region, with highly cited publications largely focusing on the development of regional medical education frameworks and the expanding use of e-learning approaches. The thematic evolution of medical education research was observed across 3 distinct phases: a foundational phase (2005-2010), a developmental phase (2011-2019), and a consolidation and innovation phase (2022-2024). Saudi Arabia showed the highest national productivity, while Qatar and the UAE demonstrated strong international collaboration.

Medical education research in the Arab world has grown in volume and complexity over the last two decades, with diverse contributions and Saudi Arabia leading the regional output. Future efforts should focus on sustaining this momentum by addressing the underrepresentation of certain countries and by strengthening both regional and international collaborations.