Penn professor and fellow named 40 under 40 for minority health

A Penn professor and a Penn fellow have been named among the 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health. 

The award, presented by the National Minority Quality Forum, aims to honor "the next generation of thought leaders in reducing healthcare disparities," according to Eureka Alert.

Professor of plastic surgery in the Perelman School of Medicine Paris Butler  and Vice Provost’s postdoctoral fellow in the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics Ahmaad Jenkins received the honor. 

Butler has received national recognition for his research on the lacking representation of minority groups in academic medicine and the impact it has on ethnic disparities in healthcare, Penn Medicine wrote in a statement. 

Butler also received several pedagogical awards for his mentoring of medical, undergraduate and high school students who are interested in entering the medical field.

Jenkins's research focuses on race, health and law with the aim of ending disparities in health and bias in healthcare. He is the author of several peer-reviewed articles. The recipient of two journalism awards, Jenkins is in the process of writing three books. 

President and CEO of NMQF Gray Puckerin said in a statement that the 40 individuals selected for this year represent the future of medical thought.

“Here at the NMQF, we are truly excited about this next class of honorees and recognizing them at our annual leadership summit,” Puckerin said in a statement. “The 2017 winners are doing amazing things that both better and diversify the healthcare marketplace.

"They serve as positive role models for our next generation of leaders in minority health," Puckerin said.