Rethinking Military Medical Education as a Distinct Domain: A Systematic Scoping Review

Military medicine operates in environments characterized by operational complexity, resource limitations, and unique clinical demands that differ from civilian medical practice. Despite these distinctions, military medical education is frequently embedded within broader medical curricula rather than being conceptualized as a distinct academic domain. This study aims to examine how military medical curricula are currently structured, implemented, and evaluated in the literature, and to identify key components that support the development of operationally ready military medical personnel.

A systematic scoping review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed literature describing military medical education and training programs. Searches were performed across major academic databases using keywords related to military medicine, medical education, curriculum development, and training programs. Studies were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify recurring curricular themes, instructional strategies, and competency domains relevant to military medical training.

The review identified diverse approaches to military medical education across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing professional development contexts. Common curricular components included operational medicine training, trauma and emergency care simulation, leadership development, and preparation for austere and deployed environments. Simulation-based learning and competency-based frameworks were frequently used to address the unique operational demands faced by military physicians. However, significant variation exists in curriculum structure, standardization, and evaluation methods across institutions.

The findings suggest that military medicine possesses distinctive educational requirements that support its recognition as a specialized curricular domain within medical education. Although current programs demonstrate innovative training approaches, the lack of standardized curricular frameworks and consistent evaluation strategies highlights the need for further development. Future research should focus on establishing core competencies, evaluating educational outcomes, and strengthening international collaboration in military medical education. Such efforts may contribute to improving the preparedness of military physicians and advancing the broader field of military medicine education.