▁refuge es ▁in ▁Latin ▁America . ▁Return ing ▁to ▁France ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 8 0 s , ▁he ▁co - f ounded ▁Ep ic entre ▁in ▁Paris ▁and ▁lead ▁their ▁research ▁and ▁training ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁In ▁that ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁executive ▁director ▁for ▁MS F ' s ▁French ▁section , ▁which ▁he ▁would ▁lead ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁seven ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁MS F ' s ▁Camp aign ▁for ▁Access ▁to ▁Ess ential ▁Medic ines . ▁ ▁Dr . ▁P éc oul ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁figures ▁behind ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁MS F ' s ▁neglect ed ▁dise ases ▁working ▁group , ▁which ▁would ▁become ▁D ND i ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁under ▁his ▁management . ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁Hon ours ▁ ▁Dr . ▁P éc oul ▁obtained ▁his ▁medical ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁University ▁of ▁Cl erm ont ▁Ferr and , ▁France , ▁and ▁his ▁Masters ▁of ▁Public ▁Health ▁from ▁Tul ane ▁University ▁in ▁the ▁US . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Dr . ▁P éc oul ▁was ▁awarded ▁an ▁honor ary ▁Doctor ▁of ▁Science ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Tul ane , ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁voted ▁Doctor ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁by ▁Imp act ▁Mé dec ine ▁magazine ▁in ▁France . ▁ ▁Dr . ▁P éc oul ▁was ▁ABC ▁news ' ▁Person ▁of ▁the ▁Week , ▁March ▁ 7