Global Health Scholars Program Current Awardees
The ASTRO/ARRO Global Health Scholars (GHS) program provides scholarships allowing senior residents to work on cancer care projects and encourages ongoing outreach and research in developing countries.
View past recipients of the ARRO Global Health Scholars Grant.Congratulations to the 2025 GHS awardees:
![]() | Bethel Adefres, 2025 Global Health Scholars Awardee
Dr. Adefres’s work is driven by a commitment to global oncology, with research spanning brachytherapy outcomes, palliative care delivery, and strategies to improve access to cancer treatment in low- and middle-income countries. She has presented her research at national meetings including the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) and is scheduled to present global health research at the upcoming International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) meeting in Cape Town. Her academic contributions include peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, and ongoing work addressing barriers to cancer care and innovation in underserved regions. Dr. Adefres serves in leadership roles as co-leader of the ABS Residency Council and as a member of the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology (ARRO) Global Health Subcommittee, in addition to mentoring medical students through the Society for Women in Radiation Oncology (SWRO). Her prior experiences include research positions at UCLA, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, as well as global health initiatives with the United Nations Foundation and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. |
![]() | Kara Banson, 2025 Global Health Scholars Awardee
As a recipient of the ASTRO/ARRO Global Health Scholars Grant, Dr. Banson will partner with both public and private hospitals in the Philippines to enhance radiation oncology resident training. She plans to lead interactive chart rounds workshops aimed at strengthening residents' treatment plan evaluation skills. |
![]() | Kelly Becht, 2025 Global Health Scholars Awardee
Dr. Becht is dedicated to her professional interests in global gynecologic radiation oncology, specifically, understanding the socioeconomic and infrastructure challenges of implementing brachytherapy programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). After completing residency, Dr. Becht plans to focus her career in the global health sector caring for patients with gynecologic cancers in LMICs and advocating for brachytherapy access and infrastructure expansion to accommodate this highly specialized radiation technique in low-resource communities. |
![]() | Brett Tortelli, 2025 Global Health Scholars Awardee
As a resident, Dr. Tortelli has continued his interests in global health and is focusing his research efforts on identifying and addressing oncology disparities with a regional interest in Latin America. With the support of the ASTRO-ARRO Global Health Scholar Program, Dr. Tortelli will be working at the International Atomic Energy Agency with Dr. May Abdel-Wahab on research efforts to improve radiotherapy access in Central and South America. |