Residents collect notable awards

Hinojosa earns Health Care Disparity Research Award

 Mariel Luna Hinojosa, MD, won the 2023 Dr. Chaniece Wallace Health Care Disparity (CW-HCD) Research Award.

The CW-HCD research award was established by the Office of Graduate Medical Education in 2021 to honor Dr. Wallace, a beloved pediatric chief resident, who passed away in October 2020 from postpartum complications. The CW-HCD research award recognizes an Indiana University School of Medicine resident or fellow, who throughout their training at the School of Medicine, has demonstrated sustained commitment to addressing health care inequities through research, advocacy and community outreach.

The CW-HCD research award selection committee received an outstanding number of applications with research work ranging from addressing the socioeconomic determinants of health on the mortality and use of ECMO in children undergoing congenital heart surgery,  to massive media intervention to increase colorectal cancer awareness in the Latino population of Indianapolis, to raising awareness around mental health in the community, to understanding racial bias in pulse oximetry and the race-specific correction factors for pulmonary function testing on how they have negatively impacted the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary disease among Black patients, to identifying barriers to care experienced by pediatric rheumatology patients, to advocacy work at a local and national level.

Dr. Luna Hinojosa joined the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2017 as a medical student. As a medical student, Dr. Luna Hinojosa co-founded the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) which opened opportunities for mentoring, shadowing, and scholarship for Latinx students. In 2021, she matched into the IU School of Medicine internal medicine residency program in Indianapolis. As a resident, she helped established the LMSA Pre-Health society at IUPUI for undergraduate students, a program designed to provide Latinx undergraduate students with mentorship opportunities, scholarships, and funding towards pursuing a career in medicine. Most recently, she  helped co-found the Latinx Association of Residents and Fellows within the IU School of Medicine GME Multicultural Physician Alliance (MPA) group.

Dr. Luna Hinojosa has established herself as a champion for diversity and health disparities education within her residency program. Her current research is focused on understanding the mediators of disparities in COPD and lung cancer and highlighting ethnic difference in tobacco use, quitting attempts, and reasons for failed tobacco cessation. She is currently involved in designing an educational curriculum for trainees, primary care physicians, and  other stakeholders on understanding disparities in lung cancer. Dr. Luna Hinojosa will be continuing her residency training at IU School of Medicine, and we look forward to her continuing contribution to the school’s education, research, health equity, and inclusive excellence mission.

Montalvan-Sanchez honored by Indiana Latino Expo

Indiana University School of Medicine resident Eleazar Montalvan-Sanchez, MD, was recently named Indiana Latino Health Contributor of the Year by the Indiana Latino Expo (ILE), a statewide organization that works to uplift and recognize members of the Latinx community.

Montalvan is a PGY 3 internal medicine resident and part of the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Department of Medicine. He is also a founding member of the Latinx Association at IU School of Medicine.

Eight individuals were recognized by ILE at a gala in December for their progressive impact in Indiana’s Latinx community. The awards are “a token of our deepest appreciation for their hard work and a form of thanking them for their commendable leadership,” ILE said in a social media post announcing the honorees.

Montalvan worked closely with fellow IU residents Stephanie Cortes, MD and Mariel Luna, MD, to form the Latinx Association at IU School of Medicine in 2022 so residents and fellows from Latinx backgrounds could better connect with each other.

In addition to his work as a resident in Indianapolis, Montalvan serves as a liaison to the National Hispanic Medical Association as part of a program dedicated to developing future generations of Latinx medical professionals to make a difference in Hispanic Healthcare.

Montalvan attended Dowal College of Honduras and received his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras. He regularly participates in research, including epidemiological studies, surveillance studies and randomized clinical trials.