Simulation-based medical education (SBME) has been widely used in various medical fields. Simulation enables learners to acquire not only clinical techniques but also professionalism, communication, and teamwork skills. Simulation is also a useful method for clinical teachers to assess learning outcomes. Our study examined the evolution and focus of SBME through a review and analysis of the top-cited articles in the field of medical education. The search strategy was based on the following algorithm in Scopus to obtain SBME-related articles published in English before October 31, 2020: (“simulation” [All Fields] OR “simulated” [All Fields] AND (“education, medical” [MeSH Terms] OR (“education” [All Fields] AND “medical” [All Fields]) OR “medical education” [All Fields]). Most of the top-cited articles were published between 2005 and 2010 (n = 58; 58%). Original research was the most common research type (n = 58; 58%), followed by reviews (n = 33; 33%). The most commonly studied subject was “critical care medicine” (n = 20; 16.1%), followed by “emergency medicine” (n = 18; 14.5%). The leading research target groups were health care providers (n = 54; 50%), postgraduates (n = 28; 25.9%), and undergraduates (n = 8; 7.4%). In conclusion, simulation was most widely used in critical care medicine and emergency medicine. Junior residents and medical students were the most common learners in these studies. Simulation was also useful for training for specific procedures and team resource management, especially in multidisciplinary groups.