Samuel Parry, MD, the Franklin Payne Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the department's vice chair for Faculty Affairs at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has been awarded the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM)'s 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award honors "individuals who have made lasting, significant contributions to the field of maternal fetal medicine through research, education, leadership, and clinical excellence" according to SMFM. Sindhu K. Srinivas, MD, MSCE, president of the SMFM and a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn, gave the award to Parry at the annual SMFM Pregnancy Meeting last week in Las Vegas. Parry is the 37th person to ever receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
"Across decades of service to maternal‑fetal medicine, Sam Parry has embodied the very best of academic medicine: rigorous scholarship, thoughtful leadership, and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for pregnant patients without ever seeking credit," Srinivas said. "His research has advanced the field in meaningful, lasting ways, shaping how clinicians think, how trainees learn, and how care is delivered. I'm incredibly grateful for his support as a fellow physician over the last 25 years. This award is extremely well deserved."
"Sam is a dynamic faculty leader, passionate mentor, and attentive clinician who has been a key member of our department since day one," said Elizabeth A. Howell, MD, MPP, chair of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "We are very proud of him and are thankful for his contributions to the department and our field."
