Latina Researcher Continues Blazing Leadership Trail



Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina, a Latino health researcher and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, recently became a national research fellow, and is co-leading regional health education centers in South Texas. Parra-Medina was named a Fellow by the American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB), a national group of researchers who apply study results to improve public health. Fellows are selected for their significant contributions to advancing health behavior knowledge, as well as a strong record of scientific investigations, publications, and presentations. She is being recognized at the AAHB’s scientific meeting Feb. 21-24, 2016, in Florida. Parra-Medina also ...

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Natalicio Serrano: An Èxito! Grad With A Passion to Tackle Health Issues



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Natalicio Serrano San Diego, Calif. Drawing inspiration from famous distance runner Steve Prefontaine, Natalicio decided to give his all in his education and his efforts to tackle the health issues he saw while growing up in a low-income food desert in San Diego. Now he works diligently to promote physical activity, travel behaviors, and obesity prevention in that same city. Natalicio obtained a Bachelors  in Health Science (Public Health)  and is working on his Masters Public Health with a concentration in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences from San Diego State University. "This [Éxito!] program gave me tremendous insight into ...

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Monica Montaño: An Èxito! Grad Who Has A Passion for Teaching and Helping Others



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Monica Montaño Downey, Calif. With a Panamanian hat-wearing grandfather who pushed his children to go to college and a mom who took her to microbiology classes as a child, it’s no surprise that education is Monica's main tool to promote health among Latinos. She has a true passion for teaching and not only wants to expose her students to health disparities, but also wants to conduct research and deliver education on cancer and disease prevention across the nation and beyond.  Monica Montaño received her Bachelor of Science degrees in Community Health Education and School Health Education (2000),  from California State University ...

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Andrew Jimenez: An Èxito! Grad Who Is Committed to Helping Latinos Live Healthier Lives



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Andrew Jimenez Ontario, Calif. Encouraged by his great-grandfather’s spurs and his father’s ever-present support, Andrew Jimenez is driven to make a difference in helping Latinos live healthier lives. He is his family’s first college and grad school student, and he works as a research assistant while he studies health promotion. He’s open to new topics and challenges because he believes in the mantra, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Andrew obtained his bachelor's degree in biology from Whittier College and is currently attending Claremont Graduate University to obtain his masters in Public Health with a ...

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Andrea Fernandez: An Èxito! Grad Who Believes in the Value of Perseverance



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Andrea Fernandez San Antonio, Texas It’s not always easy to stay calm, cool and collected under stress or facing adversity. However, Andrea is ready for anything that comes her way thanks to her mother, who stayed positive and encouraged her to continue her education despite battling cancer.  As the first person in her immediate and extended family to attend a university, Andrea has  the desire to evolve and excel. Andrea completed her bachelors in Psychology at UT Pan American and her masters in Public Health from the UT Health Science Center Houston-School of Public Health. Andrea thought that she might be past the stage where she ...

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Apply Now for the 2016 Éxito! Latino Cancer Training Program and Internships



Apply now for the 2016 Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program and optional $3,250 internships. Éxito!, a program of the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, will select 25 master’s-level students and health professionals from across the nation to attend a five-day summer institute June 6-10, 2016, in San Antonio, offering research information, tools, tips, role models and motivation to encourage participants to pursue a doctoral degree and a career studying how cancer affects Latinos differently. Applicants for the 2016 Éxito! program can also apply for one of 10 internships. Master’s-degree students or master’s-trained health professionals are encouraged to apply for the training program and ...

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Thanks for the Nomination, #LATISM!



@SaludToday, our Latino health social media handle at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center, was honored to be nominated for the Best Health Advocate reaching Latino(a)s through Tech Innovation and Social Media award from LATISM (Latinos in Social Media), a nonprofit group that empowers Latinos through tech innovation and social media. Although we didn't win (congrats to our friends at the American Heart Association!), we love being part of a huge push to improve Latino health. During the conference, SaludToday's social media coordinator, Carlos Valenzuela, was honored to speak on behalf of IHPR Director Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez about how we’re using using our social media accounts and digital communications via Salud America! to ...

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How to Prevent Cervical Cancer among Latinos


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A vaccine can't prevent disease unless people use it. In Texas, only 39% of girls and 15% of boys ages 13-17 complete the three-dose HPV vaccine for the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted infection that can cause cervical cancer and other problems. Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina has a plan to change that. Parra-Medina, a Latino health researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, received a new $1.2 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to develop an professional education and community outreach program to increase awareness and uptake of the HPV vaccine among young boys and girls in South Texas. She and her team will train local health care providers to deliver accurate ...

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How to Turn Latino Students into Doctors and Cancer Researchers



It motivated Andrew Jimenez to pursue a PhD “when it previously wasn’t a thought.” It opened Jasmin Berrios’ eyes to new cancer research fields to study. “It” is the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Éxito! (English: Success!) recently received a $1.4 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to continue to offer its annual five-day summer institute, internships, and other activities from 2015-2020 to empower master’s-level students and health professionals—like Jimenez and Berrios—to pursue a doctoral degree and cancer research careers. Of 101 Éxito! graduates since 2010, more than 30 percent have applied to doctoral ...

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