Objective To systematically review the current status of medical education cohort studies targeting medical students worldwide, providing references for longitudinal medical education research and cohort development in China.

Methods A scoping review methodology was employed to search databases including PubMed, Web of Science, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and related cohort platforms from database inception to December 2025. Studies with clearly defined cohort establishment processes and longitudinal follow-up of medical students were included, with descriptive analysis of cohort characteristics, follow-up designs, data sources, and outcome indicators.

Results Thirty-five cohort studies were included, with regional distribution as follows: Europe (17), North America (10), Asia (6), and Oceania (2); 71.4% were single-institution cohorts. The median baseline sample size was 384, and the median latest follow-up sample size was 289. Follow-up durations ranged from 0.75 to 8 years, with most studies conducting 2-4 follow-ups. Data collection primarily relied on self-reported questionnaires and standardized scales, with outcomes focused on career development, stress responses, and mental health. External database linkages, data sharing, and public access mechanisms remained limited.

Conclusion Global longitudinal cohort studies in medical education continue to evolve but face challenges including regional disparities, single-institution dominance, heterogeneous follow-up designs, limited data sources, and insufficient sharing. Future efforts should prioritize multicenter long-term cohort development, standardization of follow-up protocols and outcome measures, and integration of multimodal data sources.