I often get asked whether it’s difficult to work with my spouse in a professional setting. I’ve been working with my wife, Dr. Anjali, at our IVF clinic for the past 35 years, and while it’s clear that she’s the boss at home, there are often clashes in the clinic, because we don’t always see eye to eye about how to manage patients !
However, we’ve found that there are actually many benefits to working together.
For one thing, two heads are always better than one. This way, we both always have immediate access to a second opinion from an expert. It’s very helpful because it allows us to explore the pros and cons of different options and make the best decision for our patients. We often do this in front of the patient so that they can see that we are considering all their individual needs and circumstances. This can be quite reassuring for patients because they know that they are receiving world-class medical care.
Some patients don’t understand why we might disagree with each other, but the reality is that in IVF, there are often no black-and-white answers. Most situations are in shades of grey, and by having a discussion in front of the patient, they can understand the advantages and disadvantages of different options and provide their own input. This allows us to come up with a solution that works best for them.
Anjali is much more positive and optimistic than I am, while I am more pessimistic. This balance of personalities allows us to offer patients a realistic and pragmatic outlook.
One of the best things about working with my wife is that while we may differ about the clinical minutiae, there are no ego clashes. Ultimately, both of us want all our patients to get pregnant, and are always doing what’s in the patients’ best interests. Patients can easily see that, and even more importantly, I think we complement each other because we have different strengths. Anjali is much more compassionate and empathetic, and patients often prefer talking to her than to me because I’m more direct and to the point. On the other hand, I’m much better at answering emails and making sure that the documentation is complete and that we follow standard operating procedures and established protocols. I think that by playing to our strengths, the patients get the best of both worlds. This is reassuring not only for them but also for us because we know that we are providing world-class care and that we have not taken any shortcuts or left any stone unturned in our quest to give all our patients a baby of their own.