Having completed a basic surgical training in 1990, Andrew Parry pursued a specialist training in cardiothoracic surgery. He was a registrar at the Oxford Heart Centre, then a senior registrar in Papworth Hospital, Cambs, before returning to the Oxford Heart Centre to complete his senior registrar period. Following completion of this and success in the specialist examination resulting in him being added to the specialist register for cardiothoracic surgery, he went to the University of California, San Francisco where he undertook a specialist training in congenital cardiac surgery working under Professor Frank Hanley. After the clinical training he undertook a period of research within the department studying the inflammatory response of the foetus to cardioplacental bypass which culminated in him being awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine from Oxford University.
Andrew Parry gained a full medical licence to practice in California and was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor and Attending Surgeon at University of California, San Francisco in 1997 working on staff with Professor Hanley until he took up the post of Consultant Congenital Cardiac Surgeon at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children in 1999.
Andrew Parry is chief of Congenital Cardiac Surgery at The Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. He has set up a programme for the management of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome in Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and has introduced new techniques for the implantation of cardiac valves which do not require the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. He has also led visiting cardiac surgical teams to operate in hospitals in Kenya and setting up a service in Homs, Syria.