Shady Grove Fertility is proud to welcome Paul R. Shin M.D., as Shady Grove Fertility’s first full-time board certified urologist. With the addition of Dr. Shin to the medical team, Shady Grove Fertility now offers a broader array of in-house male fertility services. Dr Shin will be seeing patients in our Rockville, Washington- K Street, Frederick, Fair Oaks, and Woodbridge offices.
Dr. Shin received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, VA. He completed his residency in urology at the University of Virginia before completing his fellowship in male infertility at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation’s Glickman Urological Institute.
Dr. Shin has held many leadership positions in the male infertility and urology community, including serving an Executive Board Member for the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR) from 2011 to 2013 and Program Chair for the 2012 SSMR meeting. He served on the Strategic Planning Committee for the American Society of Andrology meeting in 2014. Dr. Shin has served on the Urology Care Foundation’s Reproductive and Sexual Health Committee since 2014, and is currently a Society for Male Reproduction and Urology (SMRU) Board Member (Member-at-Large). He has been a member of the Continuing Medical Education Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine since 2014.
Dr. Shin has received many honors through the years, including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Traveling Fellowship Award in 2001 and was named a Washingtonian’s Top Doc in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015.
Dr.Shin recently sat down with us to talk about his inspirations and what lead him to join the Shady Grove Fertility team.
Why did you become a urologist?
As a third year medical student at the University of Virginia, my first exposure to urology was a clinical rotation. I found an excellent mentor in Dr. William Steers. Urology seemed like an ideal mix of surgery, longitudinal patient care, and lifestyle. During my residency, I was attracted to the subspecialty of infertility and microsurgery. The surgical challenge of operating under a microscope was something I found myself suited for. Most of all, seeing the emotional impact of my intervention as we helped infertile couples attain their dreams was incredibly powerful.
What do you find most inspiring about being a male fertility specialist?
A common condition I diagnose and treat is called azoospermia, or the lack of any sperm in the ejaculate. I vividly remember several patients where I walked them through the entire process, from diagnosis, to planning, to treatment, and ultimately to pregnancy. The emotional rollercoaster ride and the ultimate payoff of our team efforts to defy the odds and start their families is what I enjoy most.
Why did you want to join Shady Grove Fertility ?
The collaborative spirit at SGF is incredible. Everyone has an element of pride in their work that separates us from other places. Hopefully, the skill and care I can offer to our male patients will further enhance our abilities to help couples build their families.
Who inspires you?
I draw a lot of personal strength and peace from my family. I don’t have a particular celebrity or athlete whom I look up to. Rather, I am inspired to come to work each day by my colleagues at Shady Grove Fertility. The uncompromising drive to do the best for each couple trying to build their family is at the central core of what we do, and every day I am professionally rejuvenated. Ironically, this focus on each patient has been the driving force behind our success and growth yet remains as the central pillar of our practice philosophy. This collaborative environment makes it very easy to go to work in the morning.
What are your hobbies and why do you enjoy them?
My family and I love the outdoors. Whether it is skiing powder out west, rock climbing, or camping, we like to get out and enjoy being outside. We are also fairly serious age-group triathletes participating in a number of triathlons, road races, and long-distance bicycle races each year as part of our triathlon team. So, “date night” is an 80 mile bike ride on a Sunday morning. That being said, I also immensely enjoy cooking, food, and wine. I love hosting and feeding friends.
What is something about you that would surprise most people?
I spent part of my childhood living in Nigeria. The first time I lived there, in 1982, I caught typhoid fever. Yay!
How would you describe your personality?
Multifaceted and inquisitive. I enjoy meeting a variety of people and finding connections with them. The diversity of our lives makes every story unique and it is fascinating to me to learn about the fabric of a couple’s relationship as we help them through this very difficult time.
What’s on your bucket list?
Helicopter skiing in the Canadian Rockies, visiting Korea (I was born and raised in the U.S.), finishing an Ironman distance triathlon, and learning how to bake the perfect baguette.
What is your approach to helping patients who are struggling?
I try to insert myself into their situation and understand their fears and concerns. Sometimes the fears that patients have about infertility and its associated treatment extend beyond simply getting pregnant. Questions like, “Will we go broke doing a fertility treatment?” and “How do my partner and I make it through the crisis of infertility?” are all things I try to help patients and couples with.
Dr. Paul Shin is currently available for new patient appointments in our Rockville, Washington- K Street, Frederick, Fair Oaks, and Woodbridge offices. To schedule your appointment, call 1-877-971-7755 or click here.
