Graduates from the Master's Programme in Advanced Radiotherapy 2025-2026, an initiative designed to bridge gaps in radiation oncology in Latin America and the Caribbean. (Photo: FALP)
Over the past five years, more than 40 radiation oncologists from 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have graduated from an IAEA-supported master's programme in Advanced Radiotherapy, helping to address a shortage of specialists in the region.
In April, the fifth cohort completed the one‑year, full-time course in Santiago, Chile.
The programme, launched in 2017 in collaboration with the Arturo López Pérez Foundation (FALP) and the Universidad de los Andes, aims to strengthen specialist training and improve radiotherapy knowledge, skills and clinical practice in the region. Women make up nearly half of all the graduates.
"Our aim is to train specialists capable of asking themselves why, when and how best to treat each patient, and who seek evidence and critically interpret scientific information to apply that knowledge to circumstances in their countries," said Ariel Fariña, radiation oncologist and director of the programme at FALP.
The programme combines academic instruction with hands‑on clinical training and is open to physicians specializing in radiation oncology. An independent evaluation covering 2018-2025 found that participants reported significant improvements in their ability to plan and deliver complex radiotherapy treatment, with many implementing advanced techniques for the first time in their home institutions.
"The programme has demonstrated long‑term value, with impacts sustained and often strengthened years after completion," said Saul Perez Pijuan, Section Head in the IAEA's Division for Latin America and the Caribbean. "Together, the IAEA, FALP and the Universidad de los Andes, with the support of the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission, are helping to shape the future of radiotherapy in the region."
Delivering Equipment, Training and National Impact
Saul Perez Pijuan, IAEA Section Head for Latin America and the Caribbean, addresses faculty and graduates during an April 2026 event in Santiago to mark the fifth anniversary of the IAEA programme. (Photo: FALP)
Francisco Eduardo Lopez Tenorio, a radiation oncologist at the National Radiotherapy Centre Nora Astorga in Nicaragua, graduated from the programme in 2023.
"The IAEA has been a vital partner - not only through providing equipment, but through the training of qualified professionals," he said. "Before 2012, there were only two radiation oncologists in Nicaragua, for a population of seven million people." The country now has 12 such specialists and is working to increase the number of qualified professionals.
The programme also contributed to Nicaragua's efforts to develop its radiation medicine capacities, as the country moved from Cobalt-60 machines and 2D techniques to advanced approaches using linear accelerators and more complex treatment methods.
"The master's programme allowed us to implement hypofractionation and radiosurgery for the first time, supporting better diagnoses and treatment," Lopez Tenorio said, adding that its impact extends beyond individual participation.
Alumni of the programme have taken on leadership, training and academic roles to support radiation oncology in their home countries. (Photo: FALP)
Many programme alumni have taken on leadership, training and academic roles. Lopez Tenorio is now the academic coordinator for radiation oncology at Nicaragua's Ministry of Health, supporting the next generation of radiation oncologists that can deliver high-quality cancer care.
"This success reflects a wider global effort driven by the IAEA to advance radiation medicine in comprehensive cancer care worldwide," said Tomoaki Tamaki, Head of the IAEA's Applied Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy Section. "Radiotherapy is one of the most widely used therapies for cancer treatment, and the IAEA is supporting countries in establishing and upgrading radiotherapy centres and in building capacity in this field."
