Jerold Lucey, M.D. was a pioneer in pediatrics who championed innovations that improved the survival and health of preterm babies. He energized the field of pediatrics by encouraging national and international collaborations and emphasized that new ideas and technologies that result from pediatric research and investigation had to be backed by documented evidence of their effectiveness.

As importantly, Dr. Lucey loved trying to inspire and challenge those early in their medical careers to be curious and to pursue their innovative ideas. There were no boundaries to his enthusiasm for seizing on a vast array of young physicians’ interests, and encouraging them to dig deeper to find innovative ways to help improve the health care of children.  

Dr. Lucey spent his career at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. His contributions to the field of neonatology are legendary and include the introduction into the United States of phototherapy, transcutaneous oxygen monitoring, and artificial surfactant therapy to treat respiratory distress of the preterm infant. Jerry was the founder and first President of the Vermont Oxford Network, a collaborative international health services outcomes network that today links over 1200 neonatal intensive care nurseries. He was editor in chief of the journal Pediatrics for 35 years, received numerous medical awards and honors and was inducted into the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine). In 1980, he created and continued to lead for decades an annual national/international conference, “Hot Topics in Neonatology”, that focused on innovations and new developments in the field. According to his colleague Dr. Jeffrey Horbar, “he had this amazing ability to spot the important next thing”.  

The Lucey Prize is awarded annually to recipients in any or all of the following career levels who reflect new horizons and innovations in neonatology and/or other areas of pediatrics:

• A current medical student or graduate student at the UVM Larner College of Medicine.

• A resident and/or fellow in UVMMC or Galisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health graduate medical education programs. 

• An early career faculty member (one who has held the rank of Instructor and/or Assistant Professor for no more than 10 years combined).

Investigators at all three levels are encouraged to apply. Recipients of the Lucey Prize will be selected from among these levels. 

The Lucey Prize will be awarded for work that has been completed (or is near completion) within the past three years and not to fund a research proposal.

The prize will be a monetary award, along with an award plaque. The recipients shall be selected based on merit for their work exploring new horizons in neonatology and/or other areas of pediatrics. Each awardee or their team will receive $1500 (to be shared per lead investigator) to be distributed at Pediatric Grand Rounds May 27, 2026. 

Applicants for the Lucey Prize should submit the following: 

1. “Application Cover Page” with contact information for the primary applicant, including level of training or faculty position, as well as names of others on the project and their academic rank or level of training

2. A one-page “Statement of Intent” including: why the applicant is interested in applying and details of their commitment to improving infant, child, or adolescent health

3. Curriculum Vitae

4. A description of the work, including methods and results (even if still in progress), pointing out how the work showed innovation and impact, in the fields of neonatology and/or pediatrics (2 pages maximum).

Proposals should be submitted electronically by April 3, 2026 to:

The Lucey Prize Committee

c/o Cheryl Thibault

cheryl.thibault@med.uvm.edu

The entire proposal, including application cover page, statement of intent, project description, and CV must be submitted as a single PDF document. Proposals that do not meet this requirement will NOT be reviewed.

Awards will be announced no later than April 17, 2026. Prize-supported initiatives will be shared at a Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds to be held on May 27, 2026, where it is expected that winners will give brief presentations of their work (with virtual option if necessary). 

The Lucey Prize Committee will make awards based upon: 

• Overall quality of the proposal.
• Strength of the proposal’s contribution to:
  • Innovation in infant, child, or adolescent health AND/OR,
  • Impact of the project (current or future) AND/OR,
  • Commitment to improving infant, child, or adolescent health.

The recipients will be selected by a review committee consisting of members of our Department of Pediatrics faculty focused on education and research. Committee members will recuse themselves from the selection process for any applicants with whom they were directly involved in the applicant’s research.
 
The Chair of the Department of Pediatrics shall manage the award process in accordance with University policies and procedures, as well as applicable laws.

Dr. Marshall “Buzz” Land, McKay Green and Gold Professor, Larner College of Medicine:

Lbirddog2@gmail.com