Global Research Trends in Quality and Accreditation in Medical Education: A Bibliometric Analysis with Time Series Forecasting

Quality and accreditation in medical education are recognized as essential components for ensuring competent healthcare professionals, equal educational opportunities, and sustainable health systems. Global interest in this area has grown steadily, particularly over the past two decades. This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of publications on quality and accreditation in medical education between 1992 and 2024 and to forecast future publication trends. Publications from 1992–2024 were analyzed using bibliometric methods. Descriptive statistics were used to examine publication trends, authorship, country contributions, and citations. Time series analysis in R was applied to forecast publication counts for 2025–2030. A total of 1,189 publications were identified, authored by 5,230 individuals, including 119 single-authored works. Scientific output increased markedly after 2002, peaking in 2020. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iran, and China were the most productive countries. Time series analysis indicated that publication growth may continue over the next six years, although a breakpoint model suggests a potential decline if the post-2020 decrease persists. The field is gaining international recognition and importance. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and global research initiatives will be key to advancing quality and accreditation in medical education