The Yale School of Medicine Department of Surgery is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Paris Butler as the new Vice Chair of Education and Inclusive Excellence. In this pivotal role, Dr. Butler will provide strategic oversight of the department’s five ACGME-accredited residency programs, fellowships, and the clerkship program. He will also continue to champion the department’s mission to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), building upon his previous work as Vice Chair of DEI.
"Dr. Butler’s dual roles as Vice Chair of Education and Inclusive Excellence provide him with a broad perspective to cultivate a surgical education environment that is both effective and fosters a sense of belonging.”
Dr. Nita Ahuja
Dr. Butler succeeds Dr. Mehra Golshan, who served as Interim Vice Chair of Education for over two years. Under Dr. Golshan’s leadership, the department made significant strides in aligning its educational mission, including the Commencement Cocktails initiative, a new educational administrative structure, and the enhancement of the clerkship program.
Dr. Golshan will now refocus on his duties as Executive Vice Chair of Operations and as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the Yale Cancer Center. He will continue to support Dr. Butler’s transition, serving the department’s Education Office as Director of Medical Education.
"Dr. Butler is the visionary leader this role requires, and I am thrilled to see him take on this new responsibility,” said Dr. Golshan.
Dr. Butler has already achieved remarkable success as an educational leader. Working alongside department leadership, the residency program has achieved record diversity among its incoming class, with 50% of interns being women and 33% from groups underrepresented in medicine. In 2022, Dr. Butler launched the department’s visiting student scholarship program, the largest of its kind at the School of Medicine, now entering its second year. He is also nationally recognized for his advocacy on behalf of surgical trainees, co-founding the Society of Black American Surgeons’ Diverse Surgeons Initiative 2.0 and the Garnes Society, endorsed by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
"Dr. Butler’s dual roles as Vice Chair of Education and Inclusive Excellence provide him with a broad perspective to cultivate a surgical education environment that is both effective and fosters a sense of belonging,” said Dr. Ahuja.
“We are excited to witness the continued growth and excellence in our educational programs under Dr. Butler’s visionary leadership. We are also deeply appreciative of Dr. Golshan’s servant leadership during this transition,” added Dr. Ahuja.
The department extends gratitude to all students, residents, faculty, and leaders across the health system involved in this national search.