Mapping Global Research on Depression Among Medical Students: A Bibliometric and Conceptual Analysis (2001-2025)

BACKGROUND: The importance of mental health among medical students has gained worldwide recognition, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. High rates of depression among medical students have drawn the attention of researchers, who have sought to identify and explore the factors related to the onset of depression. This study conducted a comprehensive review of the literature on depression among medical students and developed a conceptual framework highlighting the interaction of various factors contributing to the onset and maintenance of depression.

METHODS: This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of 467 papers retrieved from the Scopus database between 2001 and 2025. The eligibility criterion was articles that contained the terms "depression" and "medical students" in their titles. This systematic approach ensured a manageable dataset for analysis. Microsoft Excel and VOSviewer were used for an in-depth analysis of publication trends, affiliations, countries, prolific authors, and major journals and sources regarding depression among medical students.

RESULTS: The highest number of papers published was in 2022, while the United States was identified as the most productive country. Co-occurrence analysis identified eight core themes: psychosocial factors, affective-cognitive factors, psychological stressors, coping mechanisms, burnout, mental health and well-being, academic performance, and lifestyle factors of depression among medical students.

CONCLUSION: This study significantly contributes to the field by constructing a comprehensive conceptual framework that logically organises thematic factors into predictors, moderators, and outcome variables, and is expected to guide future research and align with emerging trends in this domain. Additionally, this study highlights the need for global collaboration on many topics in this field and urges the development of suitable psychological preventive strategies to reduce the rate of depression among medical students.