The development and focus trend of clinical pharmacists education over past 60 years: A bibliometric analysis base on global English literature

Background: Pharmacy educators have long been interested in the training programmes for pharmacists. This study aims to summarize the history and current status of Clinical Pharmacy Education (CPE) research over the past six decades through a bibliometric analysis of English publications. Method: Web of Science (WoS) core collection database is used to retrieve English literature published globally between January 1968 and January 2024, including articles, reviews, editorials, notes, letters and book chapters. The CiteSpace software is used to visualize all the key elements in this study. Result: Out of 2190 retrieved papers, research on CPE was low (less than ten per year) until 1991, then surged in 2019, peaking in 2021. The United States led with 916 papers (41.8%), followed by England (123, 5.6%) and China (121, 5.5%). The focus of CPE has shifted from drug therapy management to improving overall healthcare quality. Conclusion: The establishment and advancement of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) over the past six decades has been thrilling. Pharmacists, led by pioneers from the USA and UK, have actively contributed to health care services, with involvement from countries worldwide. The evolving focus on improving the quality of life in CPE aims to enhance patient health care in the future.