Gender Representation in Radiation Oncology in Latin America

Gender representation in radiation oncology has become an increasingly relevant topic as more women enter medicine and oncology across the world. In many countries, female medical students now represent nearly half of all graduates, and oncology has experienced a similar trend. However, participation and representation are not synonymous.

In radiation oncology, discussions about gender representation often focus on workforce numbers. Yet the question extends far beyond how many women enter the specialty. It also involves who leads departments, who mentors trainees, who represents the specialty at scientific meetings, and who participates in decisions that shape the future of cancer care.

Most of the available evidence has traditionally come from North America and Europe. Studies have consistently shown that women remain underrepresented in academic leadership, scientific societies, senior faculty positions, and editorial  boards despite increasing participation in the workforce (Odei et al., 2021; Faivre-Finn, 2023; Hsieh et al.,
2024).

Until recently, much less was known about the Latin American experience.

What Do Recent Latin American Studies Tell Us?

Over the last few years, regional data have begun to provide a clearer picture of the professional experiences of women in oncology across Latin America.
In 2025, Ismael et al. published one of the first multinational studies addressing gender disparities among oncology professionals in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Peru. Thefindings were striking. Eighty-three percent of women reported experiencing gender- related inequity during their professional careers compared with 37% of men. Workplace harassment was reported by 60% of women, while 34% reported experiencing sexual harassment.

Only 32% of respondents reported having a female institutional leader, and only 8% identified a woman as the highest-paid professional within their institution.

A year later, Avilés et al. expanded the regional perspective through a survey including 350 women oncologists from 18 Latin American countries. Seventy-seven percent reported feeling that they needed to work harder than male colleagues to obtain similar professional recognition. More than half reduced their working hours after becoming mothers, and 60.9% perceived motherhood as a barrier to career progression. Across participating institutions, female leadership representation averaged 28.7%.

One of the most interesting findings for our specialty is that radiation oncology represented the largest group of respondents, accounting for 38% of participants. This provides one of the most comprehensive snapshots currently available of the experiences of women working in radiation oncology throughout Latin America.

Although these studies evaluated oncology broadly rather than radiation oncology pecifically, their findings reveal recurring themes that are difficult to ignore: leadership gaps, barriers to career advancement, workplace inequities, and the ongoing challenge of balancing professional development with family responsibilities.

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Does Leadership Representation Reflect Workforce Growth?

The growing presence of women in oncology has not been accompanied by a proportional increase in leadership representation. This discrepancy has been reported consistently across different regions. International studies demonstrate that women continue to occupy fewer positions as department chairs, program directors, senior faculty members, and leaders of professional organizations (Faivre-Finn, 2023; Hsieh et al., 2024).

The Latin American data suggest a similar pattern. While women are increasingly visible across oncology practice, leadership representation remains below one-third of positions in many institutions. The contrast between workforce participation and leadership representation raises an important question: where does the gap emerge?

Part of the answer may lie in the cumulative effect of multiple factors. Academic productivity, access to mentorship, visibility at scientific meetings, networking opportunities, and institutional culture all influence career progression. Small differences at each stage can ultimately translate into substantial differences in leadership representation.

Leadership is particularly important because it influences who receives mentorship, who participates in strategic decisions, and who becomes visible within the specialty. For trainees and early-career physicians, leadership representation also shapes perceptions of what is achievable.

Does Gender Representation Begin During Training?

Discussions about leadership often overlook an earlier stage of professional development: residency training.

Li et al. (2022) provided the first comprehensive description of radiation oncology residency programs across Latin America. Their analysis identified substantial variability in training structure, curriculum design, access to modern technology, and educational resources across the region.

More importantly, the study highlighted the diversity of training environments from which the future radiation oncology workforce will emerge. Training represents the beginning of the professional pipeline. Understanding who enters residency programs, who receives mentorship opportunities, who pursues academic careers, and who ultimately advances into leadership positions remains an important area for future research.

At present, very little information exists regarding gender representation among radiation oncology residents in Latin America. This absence of data is noteworthy in itself. It highlights how much remains unknown about the pathways through which women enter, progress within, and lead the specialty in the region.

Why Does Gender Representation Matter?

Gender representation is frequently discussed within the framework of equity. It is equally relevant from the perspective of workforce development.

Radiation oncology depends on multidisciplinary collaboration, scientific innovation, and continuous technological adaptation. The specialty benefits when talented individuals have equal opportunities to contribute, regardless of gender.

Schuster et al. (2022) described gender equity as a challenge that extends across recruitment, mentorship, promotion, research participation, and leadership development.
These dimensions influence not only individual careers but also the broader evolution of the specialty. Recent evidence from Latin America demonstrates meaningful progress in the participation of women across oncology. At the same time, leadership representation, professional recognition, and career advancement continue to show measurable disparities.

The availability of regional data marks an important step forward, providing a foundation for future research and a clearer understanding of how gender representation is evolving within radiation oncology across Latin America.

Written by Fernanda Estefanía Rivera Sánchez, MD