Global research agenda for health professionals education: a systematic scoping review

Health professionals’ education (HPE) research provides evidence to improve the training of healthcare professionals. Despite several national studies setting agendas for HPE research, the lack of a consolidated synthesis limits global benchmarking, policy decisions, funding allocation, and global collaboration. This scoping review aims to synthesize a consolidated agenda for HPE research based on priorities set across countries and regions. Following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across various databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and ERIC) for English-language studies published between 2000 and 2025 using keywords related to “health professionals education” and “research agenda”. Eligible studies were those that explicitly addressed the HPE research agenda. Two independent reviewers (MM and AS) screened records using Rayyan, resolving discrepancies through consensus. The research agenda themes were inductively coded and mapped. Twenty-three eligible studies were included in the final synthesis. The studies were from North America (US, n = 5), Europe (UK, n = 2; Ireland, n = 1), Pacific and East Asia (Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, n = 1 each), MENA and South Asia (Iran, n = 4; EMR and Pakistan, n = 1 each), and Sub-Saharan Africa (Sudan and SSA, n = 1 each) and multiregional (n = 3). The universal HPE research agendas synthesized focused substantially on teaching, curriculum, assessment, and professionalism strategies. Regional mapping revealed unique agendas from North America (Inclusivity and professional skills), Europe (teamwork and communication), Pacific and East Asia (community involvement), MENA and South Asia (management, research, and technology), and Sub-Saharan Africa (economics and technology). This review provides the first consolidated global synthesis of the HPE research agenda. Core pedagogical research themes were predominantly represented across global regions, notably teaching, curriculum, assessment, and professionalism. Emerging distinct regional agendas focus on inclusivity, professional skills, interprofessional collaboration, community engagement, management, research, and technology. This global synthesis provides a benchmark for aligning future research, funding, and educational reforms in HPE worldwide.