The William N. Kelley Professorship of Neurology
Established in 1996 by the gift of Saul P. Steinberg, the Professorship commemorates William N. Kelley, MD who served as Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center from 1989 to 2000.
Dr. Kelley was well known for his breakthrough research and leadership of academic medical programs at Duke and the University of Michigan when he arrived at Penn. During his tenure, the Perelman School became a research powerhouse: With the recruitment of top-flight faculty and the construction of new laboratories, the School moved into the top five rankings for NIH funding. Dr. Kelley expanded the Medical Center’s regional footprint by acquiring hospitals and private practices, including Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. He also initiated Curriculum 2000 at the School, a new approach that blended scientific and clinical learning from early on in medical education. He continues to serve on the faculty of the Perelman School. Among his many achievements, he is a member of the Academy of Medicine and has received the highest recognition from the Association of American Medical Colleges for contributions to medical education.
Wharton alumnus Saul P. Steinberg (1939–2012) was the head of Reliance Group Holdings. He made many significant gifts to Penn, endowing numerous professorships and establishing the Steinberg Conference Center. He chaired Wharton’s Board of Overseers for 15 years.
Current Chairholder
Amy Pruitt, MD
Amy Pruitt, MD is the William N. Kelley Professor in Neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Neurology, Division Chief of General Neurology, Advisory Dean, and Neurology Clerkship Director.
Dr. Pruitt has received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and the American Academy of Neurology’s inaugural Frank A. Rubino Award for Excellence in Clinical Neurology Teaching. She is a five-time recipient of the Penn Medical Student Government Clinical Teaching Award.
Dr. Pruitt is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and completed residencies in internal medicine and neurology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She has been a Penn faculty member since 1991.
Previous Chairholders
- Eric C. Raps, MD 1996–1998
- Steven S. Scherer, MD, PhD 2000–2005
- H. Branch Coslett, MD