Memes in health professions education: a systematic review

Background: Internet memes have evolved from digital ephemera to potent cultural artifacts. While their utility in public health communication has been documented, their role in formal health professions education remains under-synthesized. Objectives: To systematically review empirical evidence regarding the efficacy of memes as pedagogical tools, their impact on learner engagement, and their role in professional identity formation across medical, nursing, and pharmacy curricula. Methods: A systematic search was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, covering PubMed, ERIC, Scopus, and Google Scholar through early 2026. Eligibility criteria included empirical studies (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods) involving health professions trainees. Results: The review identified seven eligible studies. Quantitative outcomes regarding knowledge retention were mixed but generally positive: significant gains were observed in pharmacology ( P = 0.022) and anatomy ( P = 0.018), whereas microbiology outcomes showed nonsignificant positive trends. Findings are reported using only the statistics available from the primary studies. A novel finding involves administrative utility: meme-based nudges increased feedback form completion rates from 32.3% to 85.5%. Qualitatively, memes served as shared virtual spaces for navigating the hidden curriculum and fostering professional solidarity. Conclusion: Memes are a viable, low-cost pedagogical strategy that aligns with the digital habits of Gen Z learners. Beyond humor, they may serve as supplementary cognitive anchors for retaining complex information and as safe spaces for negotiating professional hierarchy, though stronger methodological designs are required to confirm these effects.