Mapping the Evolution of China’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Education Policies: Insights From a BERTopic-Based Descriptive Study

Abstract Background Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) education in China has evolved significantly, shaped by both national policy and social needs. Despite this, the academic community has yet to fully explore the long-term trends and core issues in TCM education policies. As the global interest in TCM continues to grow, understanding these trends becomes crucial for guiding future policy and educational reforms. This study used cutting-edge deep learning techniques to fill this gap, offering a novel, data-driven perspective on the evolution of TCM education policies. Objective This study aimed to systematically analyze the research topics and evolutionary trends in TCM education policies in China using a deep learning–based topic modeling approach, providing valuable insights to guide future policy development and educational practices. Methods TCM policy–related documents were collected from major sources, including the Ministry of Education, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, PKU Lawinfo, and archives of TCM colleges. The text was preprocessed and analyzed using the BERTopic model, a state-of-the-art tool for topic modeling, to extract key themes and examine the policy development trajectory. Results The analysis revealed 27 core topics in TCM education policies, including medical education, curriculum reform, rural health care, internationalization, and the integration of TCM with modern education systems. These topics were clustered into 5 stages of policy evolution: marginalization, standardization, specialization, systematization, and restandardization. These stages reflect the ongoing balancing act between modernizing TCM education and preserving its traditional values, while adapting to national political, social, and economic strategies. Conclusions This study offers groundbreaking insights into the dynamic and multifaceted evolution of TCM education policies in China. By leveraging the BERTopic model, it provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the forces shaping TCM education and offers actionable recommendations for future policy making. The findings are essential for educators, policymakers, and researchers aiming to refine and innovate TCM education in an increasingly globalized world.