Developing Curricula for Paediatric Radiotherapy Professionals
As the first global good, the IAEA and St. Jude aim to create standardized educational curricula. Nearly 20 radiotherapy experts from across the globe, including from the Rays of Hope Anchor Centre in Argentina, joined specialists from both organizations for a week-long consultancy meeting to outline an effective framework for these curricula.
By sharing their experience in treating paediatric cancer patients within their national and regional contexts, participants were able to clarify the core competencies these curricula should emphasize. They also articulated the minimum requirements for paediatric radiotherapy training, identified proficiency benchmarks for the use of advanced technologies and explored strategies to tailor curricula to learning-related needs at the local level.
Insights from their consultancy meeting will directly inform the new curricula. Following further external review, these curricula will be released as an IAEA publication and will supplement existing guidance.
“For the millions of children with cancer, these new curricula are part of the solution. In strengthening the global knowledge base, they will help to realise a well-trained radiation oncology workforce,” said May Abdel-Wahab, Director of the IAEA Division of Human Health. “Together with St. Jude, the IAEA will build on the forthcoming paediatric radiotherapy curricula by creating standardized education programmes as the next global public good.”