Q: Why did you become a doctor, in particular, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility?
My grandfather was a family doctor. He had six kids, all of whom he hoped would go into medicine. The problem, though, was that he worked so hard that, despite his best arguments as to what a fulfilling career it was, he couldn’t convince any of them to go that route. Not a single doctor in the bunch. That didn’t deter him from making his pitch to me though. He started taking me on weekend inpatient rounds with him when I was 4, and I was instantly sold. When he died suddenly of a heart attack at 65, the church where his funeral was held was overfilled. There were literally people standing outside the doors of the church to the street and 90 percent of them were his patients. I was 16 then, and it sealed the deal. Being a doctor provides a unique opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and what more so than helping couples start their families?