Ignacio Chávez Sánchez,

M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...

, F.A.C.P. (born 31 January 1897 in Zirándaro,

Guerrero Guerrero, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guerrero, is one of the 32 states that compose the administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guerrero, 85 municipalities. The stat ...

– d. 13 July 1979 in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

) was a prominent Mexican educator, cardiologist, and founding member of El Colegio Nacional.

Education and professional career

Dr. Chávez studied at Colegio de San Nicolás and the School of Medicine of Morelia. He received his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

in medicine-surgery from the National University in 1920. He was the rector of the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo from 1920 to 1921. He taught several subjects in the School of Medicine of

Morelia Morelia (; from 1545 to 1828 known as Valladolid; Otomi language, Otomi: ) is a city and municipal seat of the municipalities of Mexico, municipality of Morelia in the north-central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. It is both th ...

(1920) and at the National School of Medicine since 1922. He specialized in

cardiology Cardiology () is the study of the heart. Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery di ...

in Paris (1921–1927) under Henri Vasquez and Charles Laubry. He was the head of the National School of Medicine (1933–1934). He visited clinics in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Rome and Brussels to observe their operation and framework. He later founded the first Department of Cardiology within el Hospital General de Mexico (1924–1944). He was also the director of the General Hospital of Mexico (1936–1939). He was the founder and director (1944–1961) of the National Institute of Cardiology, the first hospital of this kind in Mexico, and then he is Director of the newly built Institute, for two and a half years again, starting in 1976. He was the rector of the

National Autonomous University of Mexico The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public university, public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countri ...

(March 1965 to April 1966). He was instrumental in establishing international cooperation in cardiology after World War II. He founded and chaired the Mexican Society of Cardiology (1935) and the Interamerican Society of Cardiology (1946). Also in 1946, along with

Paul Dudley White Paul Dudley White (June 6, 1886 – October 31, 1973) was an American physician and cardiologist. He was considered one of the leading cardiologists of his day, and a prominent advocate of preventive medicine. Early life and education White ...

and Charles Laubry, he co-founded the International Society of Cardiology, an organization of which he was vice-chairman (1958–1962) and honorary life

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

(after 1962). He presided over the fourth

World Congress of Cardiology The World Heart Federation (WHF) is a non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, formed in 1978. WHF is recognized by the World Health Organization as its leading NGO partner in cardiovascular disease prevention. History The Wo ...

held in Mexico City in 1962. He was a member of the counseling committee of the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

(1955) and the

Organization of American States The Organization of American States (OAS or OEA; ; ; ) is an international organization founded on 30 April 1948 to promote cooperation among its member states within the Americas. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, the OAS is ...

(1958–1966). He participated in 18 different cardiology societies in all America and Europe. He was appointed honorary doctor or rector of 95 universities around the world. Among others, he received the following awards: the National Order of the Honor Legion (France: 1933, 1951, 1966); the

Manuel Ávila Camacho Manuel Ávila Camacho (; 24 April 1897 – 13 October 1955) was a Mexican politician and military leader who served as the president of Mexico from 1940 to 1946. Despite participating in the Mexican Revolution and achieving a high rank, he cam ...

Science Award (1945); the Mexico City Medal to the Civic Merit (1945); the General Morelos Medal (Michoacán, 1954); the Eduardo Liceaga Gold Medal (1960); the National Science Award (1961); the American College of Physicians Gold Medal (Atlantic City, 1963); and the

Belisario Domínguez Medal ''Belisario'' (''Belisarius'') is a ''tragedia lirica'' (tragic opera) in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's adaptation of play, ''Belisarius'', first staged in Munich in 182 ...

awarded by the

Senate of Mexico The Senate of the Republic (), constitutionally the Chamber of Senators of the Honorable Congress of the Union (), is the upper house of Mexico's bicameral Congress. It currently consists of 128 members, who serve six-year terms. History A b ...

(October 9, 1975). His statue was uncovered on September 27, 1980, in the park named after him which is located in front of the National Medical Center.

Writings

He wrote, among other works: Lecciones de clínica cardiológica (Lessons on Clinical Cardiology) (1931); Enfermedades del corazón, cirugía y embarazo (Heart diseases, surgery and pregnancy) (1945); México en la cultura médica (Mexico in Medical Culture) (1947); and

Diego Rivera Diego Rivera (; December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was a Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the Mexican muralism, mural movement in Mexican art, Mexican and international art. Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted mural ...

, sus frescos en el Instituto Nacional de Cardiología (Diego Rivera, his murals in the National Institute of Cardiology) (1946).

References

External links

Biography of Ignacio Chávez
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chavez Sanchez, Ignacio 1897 births 1979 deaths Mexican cardiologists Members of El Colegio Nacional (Mexico) Recipients of the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor People from Guerrero 20th-century Mexican physicians National Prize for Arts and Sciences (Mexico) Burials at the Panteón de Dolores