If you have been referred to an infertility specialist by your OB/GYN he or she is assuming it is a board certified or fellowship trained reproductive endocrinologist/infertility specialist. These individuals have done 2-3 more years of training in infertility and reproductive endocrinology. Many programs have not been able to hire fellowship trained specialists and are using general OB/GYNs (who frequently get less than two months of infertility training in their residency), family physicians or physician’s assistants who frequently have no formal infertility training.

If you are having an IVF egg retrieval ask who is actually doing it – these procedures have a risk of vascular injury and infection.

Ask who is doing your anesthesia care. It should be a board certified nurse anesthetist or an anesthesiologist (the latter is rare). Many programs are using nurses or other health professionals to administer anesthesia drugs who have little or no formal training in anesthesia.

At the Florida Institute for Reproductive Medicine all new patient visits are with a board certified reproductive medicine specialist. All IVF egg retrievals are done by a board certified reproductive medicine specialist. Anesthesia is performed by a board certified nurse anesthetist in a certified center.

– Kevin L. Winslow, M.D.
01/29/2026