Neurosurgical training in low- and middle-income countries: structural inequities, scalable solutions, and a Peruvian national case study

Váscones-Román F.F.; Fuentes-Garcia S.J.; Váscones-Román J.; Riveros-Ruiz J.; Vilca-Salas M.; Urquiaga J.F.; Váscones-Román D.; Quintana-Garcia L.A.; Macha-Quillama L.F.; Hemeryth-Rengifo M.A.; Solis-Chucos F.G.; Olazabal-Valera J.; Olivera-Llenque A.; Meza-Ponce F.A.; Gonzales-Romero P.; Huancahuari N.; Váscones-Aldazabal A.; Roca-Rozas M.A.; Rios-Garcia W.; Martínez-Díaz W.J.; León-Palacios J.; Pacheco-Barrios N. · Neurosurgical Review (2026) · DOI: 10.1007/s10143-026-04382-y

Resumen

Neurosurgical workforce inequities remain a major barrier to timely access to essential neurosurgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Because workforce capacity depends not only on the number of trainees but also on the quality, geographic distribution, and sustainability of training systems, neurosurgical training is a critical determinant of global neurosurgical equity. We aimed to synthesize the principal barriers and scalable solutions in neurosurgical training across LMICs and to illustrate these patterns through a national case study of adult neurosurgery residency positions in Peru. We conducted a structured narrative review of the literature on neurosurgical training in LMICs, focusing on historical development, residency training, mentorship, digital education, simulation, and international collaboration. In parallel, we performed a descriptive national case study of adult neurosurgery residency positions available in Peru in 2025, assessing their geographic and institutional distribution. Across the reviewed literature and the Peruvian national case study, barriers to neurosurgical training appeared to be predominantly related to structural and institutional factors, including geographic centralization, limited educational infrastructure, inconsistent subspecialty exposure, financial constraints, and unequal access to mentorship. This does not exclude the role of individual motivation or institutional culture, but suggests that trainee interest alone is insufficient to overcome system-level barriers. Promising scalable strategies included competency-based curricula, structured virtual learning, low-cost simulation models, and partnership frameworks centered on local capacity-building. In Peru, 31 adult neurosurgery residency positions were identified across 20 hospitals in 7 regions, with marked concentration in Lima and repeated clustering within a small number of high-complexity referral institutions. This distribution reflects a centralized training model with limited regional expansion. Neurosurgical training inequities in LMICs appear to be strongly shaped by the structural concentration of training capacity, although local institutional culture, trainee motivation, and national policy contexts may also influence access to high-quality training. Expanding the neurosurgical workforce will require coordinated national planning, investment in regional training hubs, and sustainable educational partnerships that strengthen local ownership and workforce sustainability. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga; Universidad Científica del Sur; Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco; Universidad Ricardo Palma; Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola; Universidad Nacional de San Cristóbal de Huamanga; Universidad Católica de Santa María; Universidad Andina del Cusco