{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T20:45:28Z","timestamp":1776890728603,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]],"date-time":"2025-06-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749427200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":164,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,27]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>This study examines the shortage of radiation oncologists in Italy and Europe, analysing systemic challenges in postgraduate training and proposing solutions to enhance the appeal of radiation oncology. A review of literature from Italy and Europe evaluated trends in training programmes, workforce dynamics. Analysis included residency vacancies, economic constraints, training disparities, and visibility of the field during medical education. In Italy, 55.3% of radiation oncology residency positions have gone unfilled or been abandoned since 2016, with 90% of positions vacant in 2023. Contributing factors include inadequate exposure to radiotherapy during medical training, limited financial opportunities, negative societal perceptions, and high levels of burnout. Across Europe, similar challenges persist. Training disparities, outdated infrastructure, and regional inequalities exacerbate workforce shortages, particularly in low-income countries. Addressing the radiation oncology crisis requires a multifaceted strategy, including enhancing visibility of the field in medical education, improving working conditions, offering financial incentives, and addressing disparities in training quality across Europe. The European radiotherapist shortage is a systemic issue requiring coordinated efforts to standardize training, address economic barriers, and improve the specialty\u2019s appeal. By fostering collaboration and reform, European nations can meet the growing demand for cancer care and secure a sustainable workforce for the future.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/bjro\/tzaf016","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]],"date-time":"2025-06-09T19:10:46Z","timestamp":1749496246000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Being a radiation oncologist: times of crisis for European graduates"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"7","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-4736-9518","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Federico","family":"Gagliardi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania \u201cL. Vanvitelli\u201d , Naples 80138,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emma","family":"D\u2019Ippolito","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania \u201cL. Vanvitelli\u201d , Naples 80138,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Roberta","family":"Grassi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania \u201cL. Vanvitelli\u201d , Naples 80138,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Angelo","family":"Sangiovanni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania \u201cL. Vanvitelli\u201d , Naples 80138,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Vittorio Salvatore","family":"Menditti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania \u201cL. Vanvitelli\u201d , Naples 80138,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dino","family":"Rubini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania \u201cL. Vanvitelli\u201d , Naples 80138,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Paolo","family":"Gallo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania \u201cL. Vanvitelli\u201d , Naples 80138,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"D\u2019Ambrosio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania \u201cL. Vanvitelli\u201d , Naples 80138,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Massimo","family":"Minerva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Universit\u00e0 Vita-Salute San Raffaele , Milan 20132,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Viola","family":"Salvestrini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiation Oncology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, University of Florence, Florence 50110,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"De Felice","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00161, \u00a0","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe Carlo","family":"Iorio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oncology, Radiation Oncology, University of Turin, Turin 10126, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Piras","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UO Radioterapia Oncologica, Villa Santa Teresa, Bagheria 90011, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Nicosia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Advanced Radiation Oncology Department, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Cancer Care Center , Verona 37034,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gian Marco","family":"Petrianni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Operative Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, Roma 00128, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Boldrini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiation Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. 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