Dr. David Polly Jr. to receive Scoliosis Research Society lifetime honor

Shriners Children’s Twin Cities orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. David Polly Jr. will receive the Scoliosis Research Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the group’s annual meeting in Sydney, Australia, recognizing decades of work in spinal deformity care, research, education and leadership. The honor caps a career that included military service, academic medicine and years treating children with complex spine conditions.

Why it matters: - The Scoliosis Research Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award is one of the organization’s highest honors. - The award recognizes careers that have made a lasting impact on spinal deformity care through clinical work, research, education and leadership. - Dr. David Polly Jr.’s selection highlights decades of work aimed at improving outcomes for children with complex spinal conditions.

What happened: - Shriners Children’s Twin Cities announced that Dr. Polly has been selected to receive the Scoliosis Research Society Lifetime Achievement Award. - Dr. Polly is an internationally recognized orthopedic spine surgeon and the 2026 recipient. - He will be honored at the 61st SRS Annual Meeting, set for Oct. 6-10, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. - Dr. Polly said the recognition from his peers is “the ultimate professional honor.”

The details: - Dr. Polly’s medical career spans more than four decades, beginning with his graduation from medical school in 1985. - He served 25 years in the U.S. military. - His military career included 10 years as Chief of Spine Surgery and Chair of Orthopedic Surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. - He joined the University of Minnesota in 2003. - He began working with Shriners Children’s Twin Cities in 2006. - Dr. Polly retired from his clinical practice at Shriners Children’s in 2023. - His work included advancing care for children with complex spinal conditions. - He also led research collaborations that helped improve outcomes for patients around the world. - Dr. Polly spent years mentoring and educating the next generation of physicians. - Dr. Christopher Vara, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Shriners Children’s Twin Cities, said working with Dr. Polly was one of the highlights of his career. - Dr. Vara said Dr. Polly was generous with his time and helped colleagues become better physicians.

Between the lines: - The award recognizes not just surgical skill, but broader influence across research, teaching and professional leadership. - Dr. Polly’s path through military medicine, academic medicine and pediatric specialty care reflects the kind of career the SRS is signaling it values. - The comments from Dr. Polly and Dr. Vara point to mentorship as a major part of his legacy, not just patient care.

What’s next: - Dr. Polly will be formally recognized at the SRS annual meeting in Sydney. - His work will continue to be reflected in the physicians he trained and the care models he helped shape. - Shriners Children’s Twin Cities continues treating children with orthopedic conditions regardless of ability to pay or insurance status.

The bottom line: - The SRS honor places Dr. Polly among the field’s most respected spine specialists and underscores a career built on care, research and mentorship. - Shriners Children’s Twin Cities and the broader pediatric spine community are marking a career that has influenced patients and physicians worldwide.