Hospital teachers face the challenge of working in complex contexts with few empirical references. This systematic review aims to analyze empirical studies published between 2000-2020 related to teaching in hospital settings. Using the PRISMA guidelines, we identified 363 articles in the Web of Science, SciELO and Scopus databases: 11 studies were selected after the inclusion criteria were applied. We identified three areas of study: research trends; work dimensions and teacher characteristics; and challenges. We found a predominance of descriptive studies, theoretical frameworks of inclusion and civil rights, and female teachers and researchers. The analyzed studies emphasize emotional aspects, a lack of guidelines, and difficulties related to teachers’ work. We conclude by signaling the need to strengthen the methodology of related studies, increase the joint responsibility of teachers and medical staff, and generate specific policies and preparation. These findings identify advances and challenges in the field that could guide its development.