Lally honored with pediatric surgery section’s highest distinction
A career focused on advancing surgical care for children has earned Kevin Lally, MD, MS, the William E. Ladd Medal from the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Surgery (external link).
As the section’s highest honor, the William E. Ladd Medal recognizes pediatric surgeons whose work has advanced the specialty and improved care for infants and children.
“Receiving the Ladd Medal was both a huge surprise and humbling,” said Lally, professor and chair, the Richard J. Andrassy, MD, Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Surgery, and the A. G. McNeese Chair in Pediatric Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. “The previous awardees include some of the icons in my field, and to be listed among them is a huge honor.”
Lally gained international recognition for advancing the field of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. He helped establish the Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Registry and Study Group, an international effort that has collected prospective outcomes data from thousands of infants. The initiative strengthened understanding of the disease, informed treatment approaches, and contributed to more consistent care and improved outcomes across institutions.
He also helped establish one of the first research collaboratives in pediatric surgery, the Pediatric Surgery Research Collaborative, and later launched the Pediatric Surgery Quality Collaborative to advance quality improvement efforts. Through these initiatives, Lally brought together 90 children’s hospitals to develop practical tools and implementation strategies that support more consistent care and better outcomes.
The Ladd Medal adds to a distinguished record of recognition for Lally’s contributions to pediatric surgery, education, and patient care. He previously received the Arnold M. Salzberg Mentorship Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Surgery and was recognized as the 2025 Distinguished Physician at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center.
About William E. Ladd, MD
Widely regarded as the father of pediatric surgery in North America, William E. Ladd, MD, helped establish pediatric surgery as a distinct medical specialty. As surgeon-in-chief at Boston Children’s Hospital, he was among the first physicians in the United States to focus primarily on surgical care for children.
Throughout his career, Ladd advanced treatment for conditions including intestinal malrotation, intussusception, and pyloric stenosis. His development of the procedure that now bears his name for treating intestinal malrotation helped shape early pediatric surgical practice and contributed to the foundation of modern standards of care.