Evolutionary Medicine and Psychiatry in Medical Education: A Scoping Review

Abstract Background Evolutionary medicine and evolutionary psychiatry apply principles of evolutionary biology to deepen understanding of disease vulnerability, mental health, and clinical reasoning. Despite growing conceptual maturity and relevance across biomedical domains, the extent and nature of their integration into medical and psychiatric education remain unclear. Objective This scoping review aims to map the education-focused literature on evolutionary medicine and evolutionary psychiatry across undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing professional training contexts, and to characterize the types of educational initiatives, frameworks, and evaluation strategies described. Methods A scoping review methodology was employed to search multiple databases and supplementary sources systematically. Eligible sources included conceptual curriculum frameworks, descriptive studies of curricular provision or learner attitudes, and interventional or evaluative educational studies. Data were charted and categorized by educational context, study design, and primary educational contribution. Findings were synthesized narratively. Results The final 19 articles include conceptual advocacy, curriculum mapping studies, and a smaller number of implementation and evaluation reports. While there is broad agreement regarding the theoretical value of evolutionary perspectives for enhancing clinical understanding and integrative reasoning, formal curricular integration remains uneven. Reported barriers include limited curricular time, faculty expertise, and perceived controversy. Existing educational interventions are typically modular, case-based, and of short duration, with outcomes primarily focused on learner knowledge and attitudes. Conclusions Evolutionary medicine and evolutionary psychiatry possess a coherent conceptual foundation but remain variably embedded within formal training pathways. Future work should prioritize rigorous evaluation, competency alignment, and scalable implementation strategies to support sustained curricular integration.