The Closing Ceremony and Awarding of Diplomas of the First International Course of Specialization in Lifestyle Medicine: Lifestyle Medicine Fundamentals, with a Focus on Primary Health Care, organized by the Chair of Lifestyle Medicine of the Universidad Ricardo Palma in collaboration with the Latin American Lifestyle Medicine Association, was held with great satisfaction.

The event featured a distinguished message from the Dean of the Universidad Ricardo Palma, Dr. Elio Iván Rodríguez Chávez, and participants from 13 Latin American countries . As part of the first graduating class, 91 doctors and health professionals and 18 professors completed and passed the Specialization Course, thus obtaining the University Diploma.

The success and the academic quality of this Pioneer Course in Lifestyle Medicine in Latin America, gathers some characteristics that position it as a leader and reference course at international level:

1. Postgraduate University Course, with the sponsorship and cooperation of the "European Lifestyle Medicine Organization" and the participation of prestigious universities of the American continent.
2. Participation of prestigious professors from Latin America, Europe and USA, experts and specialists in their respective areas.
3. Academic value with 140 hours of Continuing Medical Education.
4. Development of 13 modules, six workshops, six months of duration.
5. Internationalization, with participation from more than 13 countries.
6. Use of fully interactive virtual platforms, using e-learning technologies and educational models.
7. Systematic incorporation of active breaks and culinary medicine within the course.
8. Discussion of clinical case studies and development of international Lifestyle Medicine competencies.
9. Evidence-Based Medicine approach to the course.
10. Delivery of didactic materials, videos, chapters, presentations, tools.

This course goes beyond the transmission of knowledge, it advances in the generation of competencies, and simultaneously has generated a community of doctors and health professionals in Latin America, to promote Lifestyle Medicine with its benefits in individual health and in terms of public health in their respective countries. In addition, it has generated a network of collaboration with professors from Europe, USA and Latin America for the development of projects and initiatives.

As a token of appreciation for the First International Course of Specialization in Lifestyle Medicine, in Peru, the Sistema Nacional de Evaluación, Acreditación y Certificación de la Calidad Educativa en Perú (SINEACE) selected and awarded a recognition as an innovative and successful experience in the event of Higher University Education in Peru, in December 2020 to the First International Course of Specialization in Lifestyle Medicine.

Expanding university education internationally in times of COVID-19 is feasible and strategic. Innovating with virtual tools and new concepts in Lifestyle Medicine has contributed to generate collaborative networks.

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