Medicine alumni honored in 2021 class of UF’s 40 Under 40
Honorees include Justin Deen, M.D.; Ross Jones, M.D. ’09; and Stephanie Yarnell-Mac Grory, Ph.D. ’11, M.D. ’13
Nov. 4, 2021 — Three University of Florida College of Medicine graduates have been honored as members of the 2021 class of 40 Under 40 awardees by the UF Alumni Association.
Justin Deen, M.D.; Ross E. Jones, M.D. ’09; and Stephanie Yarnell-Mac Grory, Ph.D. ’11, M.D. ’13, were recognized for their exemplary achievements and positive reflection on The Gator Nation. They will be celebrated at an in-person ceremony to take place this spring.
These alumni have made a significant impact on their industry and community and are leaders at the state, national and international level. We congratulate them on their achievements.
Justin Deen, M.D.
Photo courtesy of UF Alumni Association
Justin Deen, M.D.
Justin Deen, M.D., is an orthopaedic surgeon and assistant professor at the UF College of Medicine, specializing in complex hip and knee replacement. He also serves as director of medical operations for the department of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine.
Deen graduated from UF with an undergraduate degree in business administration in 2005 and attended the Florida State University College of Medicine. Following graduation, he returned to Gainesville to complete his residency and fellowship training. He joined the UF faculty in 2017.
“UF was my dream school when I was in high school, and I really enjoy being here,” he said. “It also means a lot to me to be recognized by UF among so many other talented alumni.”
Deen is nearing completion of the prestigious two-year health policy fellowship offered by the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, through which he’s participated in several advocacy to help improve the quality of care for joint replacement patients and surgeons. Deen worked with physicians from around the country on the Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee for Perioperative Pain to establish national recommendations for opioid alternatives following joint replacement surgery.
Ross Jones, M.D., M.P.H. FAAHP
Photo courtesy of UF Health Jacksonville
Ross Jones, M.D. ’09
Ross Jones, M.D. ’09, M.P.H., FAAFP, serves as the medical director of community health at UF Health Jacksonville and medical director of the UF Health Total Care Clinic Group. He is a board-certified family medicine physician with a focus on chronic disease management, preventive medicine and community engagement.
A native of the Jacksonville area, Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and his medical degree at the UF. He completed his residency in family medicine at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Jacksonville.
Jones said it’s a wonderful experience as a physician to serve the community where he grew up. He’s involved with the UF Health Urban Health Alliance, a program aimed at improving the health of the citizens of Duval County through reduction of poverty, reducing social isolation, prevention of chronic diseases and empowering community members to be their own agents of change.
“Every neighborhood has unique challenges that require different solutions,” he said. “We’re able to provide general health education, mental health and COVID-19 resources, which help us connect with the community. It’s not enough to be that shining beacon on the hill, we need to meet patients where they are and provide equitable access to care.”
Ross said the mentors he met while at UF in Gainesville helped him to become the physician and leader he is today.
“My mentors always pushed me to give back and help others, which is what I strive to do in my work today,” he said. I am honored to be recognized by an institution like UF, which is the place that made me who I am today.”
Stephanie Yarnell-Mac Grory, M.D., Ph.D.
Photo courtesy of Yale University
Stephanie Yarnell-Mac Grory, Ph.D. ’11, M.D. ’13
Stephanie Yarnell-Mac Grory, Ph.D. ’11, M.D. ’13, is currently on faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine. She holds positions in the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and North Carolina’s health care system and is nearing completion of the Global Executive MBA and the Health Sector Management programs at Duke University.
Her award-winning research on addictions has led her to teach the national review course on the topic, teach a course for the American Psychiatric Association and write some of the most frequently cited papers on addictions.
Yarnell-Mac Grory said she is proud that she stayed curious throughout her education and career, working on research that doesn’t always fit neatly into one category.
“I have always had a long list of topics that I find interesting and was prone to finding nuanced areas between subjects,” she said. “My interest in the intersection of topics has made me a great collaborator and network connector, since trends and processes often start in one area and move to another. Being curious and aware of what is going on outside your own bubble is very valuable.”
She said she is humbled and honored to be recognized alongside many outstanding UF alumni.
“The University of Florida has hundreds of thousands of graduates across all their programs. It is hard to fathom that I was selected,” Yarnell-Mac Grory said. “As a double Gator, my everyday successes are a testament to the caliber of the education I received at UF. I could not have succeeded if my educational quality had not been what it is.”
