In Memory of Martin L. Stone, M.D.

In each of the first six editions of this textbook, dating back 20 years now, “Marty” Stone has written the Foreword, and we have been honored to have him do so.

With this seventh edition of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the authors wanted to dedicate our text to our dear friend, colleague, and mentor—Martin L. Stone, M.D. Unfortunately, during the final stages of preparing this edition, we learned that Marty, at age 92, had passed away. It is, therefore, fitting that this seventh edition be published in memory of Marty, whose contributions to women’s health are numerous and long-lasting.

No one in our field of women’s health has been more active, energetic, and engaged in improving education in obstetrics and gynecology than Marty Stone. A founding officer of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) 50 years ago, he has held many leadership positions in health care education over his six-decade career, including, among others, serving as president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, editor of ACOG Update, and two-term membership on the Residency Review Committee. From 1956 to 1978, Marty was Chair of Ob/Gyn at New York Medical College, after which he accepted the position of serving as the first ob/gyn chair at the then-new State University of New York (SUNY) School of Medicine at Stony Brook. Marty continues to serve there as professor and chair emeritus and consultant in education. Those who trained under Marty’s guidance hold him in great respect and admiration.

Marty and his wife Nancy continue to contribute substantially to women’s health care education. Their family foundation endowed an APGO research award and just recently endowed the most successful APGO January Seminar—now, fittingly, to be named in his honor.

A regular participant at APGO meetings over many years, there was never a stronger, more consistent advocate for improving women’s health by improving women’s health care education than Marty Stone. Many ob/gyn educators, including the five senior authors of this text, profited greatly from knowing Marty. He did not wait for a request to offer good advice to anyone involved in women’s health care education. One could not be offended, because Marty was sincere … and he was usually right. Marty was almost always correct in his predictions as to where education was going and what should be done to prepare our specialty and for the women whom we are fortunate to treat, for the future.

It is with our profound admiration and respect for Marty Stone that we dedicate this edition to his memory. We are all honored to have known him as a premier medical educator, mentor, and good friend over many decades.

Charles R.B. Beckmann, M.D., M.H.P.E. Frank W. Ling, M.D. William N. P. Herbert, M.D. Douglas W. Laube, M.D., M.Ed. Roger P. Smith, M.D. (the senior authors of the seventh edition)