Why I enjoy being an IVF specialist

Patients often ask me if being an IVF specialist is boring work. “ Doc, you see the same patients daily.
They are all infertile ! Doesn’t this get repetitive and monotonous ?”

Yes, it’s true I am an IVF specialist, and this is a very focused field. But it’s definitely not boring, and
there are many reasons for this !

As a specialist with a worldwide reputation, we get patients from all over the world – and we enjoy
treating the challenging patients who have failed IVF cycles in other clinics. It can be very exciting to turn
around the life of someone who has given up and has encountered failure after failure !

Also, being a specialist means I have complete mastery of my subject. This is also very satisfying,
because I know a lot about my special area of interest !

Also, while it’s true that all my patients are infertile, it’s equally true that they are all different ! They all
have different stories to tell – and each of them comes with different hopes, dreams, emotional baggage
and challenges. It’s fun to learn about their lives.

The great thing about being an IVF specialist is that this is a job with the potential for offering the
highest job satisfaction ! We are helping to bring a new life in this world – and building happy families is
very rewarding. As one of my patients said, “ Doc, every time we see our child, we remember you with
gratitude !”

I am naturally curious and being an IVF specialist gives me a chance to talk about the careers and jobs of
my patients. Many of them have exciting lives – and I enjoy learning about them. One of our patients
had one of the most unusual jobs I can imagine – he lives in Norway, and designed robotic milking
devices for reindeers. With patients like this, how can life ever be boring ?

The good thing about IVF is it allows me to grow and learn every day. I have to utilize multiple skill sets. I
need to be a psychologist, and have to counsel my patients as regards their options, so they can make
the best decision for themselves. We also use cutting edge technology extensively in the IVF lab, and
this keeps us on our toes, as we need to constantly upgrade our skills and equipment. Since I run a
clinic, I need to be an entrepreneur to ensure we are profitable; and since our patients come from all
over the world, I need to learn about the internet, websites , e-learning and blogging. Our patients are
smart – and they teach me a lot daily. Learning helps to keep me young !

Since I run my clinic with my wife, Dr Anjali, we make a great team, and this helps to reduce stress
levels, as I have a confidant I can discuss problems with.

Finally, since I also run the world’s largest patient education library, HELP, I get an opportunity to read –
and write – about healthcare in general.