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Introduction Scientific research capability training for veterinary professional degree graduate students is a core agenda of global veterinary education reform, which is directly linked to the delivery of the “One Health” initiative. However, there is a lack of systematic bibliometric analysis to map the global research landscape, thematic evolution, and frontier trends in this field. This study aims to systematically sort out the research status, development progress, and evolutionary context of this field, to provide evidence-based references for the optimization of veterinary graduate education worldwide. Methods This bibliometric study took 2,289 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection published between 2015 and 2025 as the data source. Bibliometric and visualization analysis was conducted using CiteSpace software (version 6.4.R1). Results The annual publication volume in this field maintained a rapid and continuous growth, with an average annual growth rate of 12.3%, indicating the field has entered an active development stage. The United States and the United Kingdom led the field in terms of publication output, while Spain and Canada had the highest betweenness centrality in international collaboration networks, playing a key bridging role in global academic cooperation. The University of London was identified as the core high-yield institution with strong academic influence, and Journal of Veterinary Medical Education was the leading core journal in this research area. Temporal analysis revealed a clear sequential shift of research frontiers: from an initial focus on surgical skills training and assessment tools, to a subsequent emphasis on communication competence, interdisciplinary collaboration and professionalism cultivation, and more recently deepened into the exploration of educational technology innovation and psychological capital development of veterinary graduate students. Discussion Research on scientific research capability training for veterinary professional degree graduate students has formed a dynamic, interdisciplinary and rapidly developing knowledge system. The dominant research paradigm in this field is shifting from single-skill oriented training to a holistic comprehensive education model that integrates technical competence, social-emotional competence and psychological competence. To address the complex challenges in the “One Health” era, future research and educational practice should strengthen interdisciplinary curriculum system development, inclusive international academic collaboration, in-depth integration of educational technology into training systems, and targeted cultivation of veterinary graduate students' psychological literacy.