My Professional Trajectory
I graduated in Medicine at UNIFESP (former Escola Paulista de Medicina) in 1992. The College is fascinating and since the beginning I was sure about my choice. There isn't a doctor in my family, I don't know where this vocation, this passion came from... I never thought of being a doctor, until the last year at high school, when I went to take the entrance exam and ended up choosing the profession because it is a “difficult college to be approved”. I've always liked challenges, but, oddly enough, that was the initial reason!
I had a wonderful university classmates, who I keep in touch until nowadays, I was approved at the Medical Residency test also at USP, but I didn't want to leave EPM. In addition to the 6 years of graduation, there were 3 more years of residency and two years of post-graduation.
At that time still there wasn't Assisted Reproduction Specialty, there was no such classes on this subject, or medical residency in this area. There was hardly any mention of IVF. So my Medical Residence was in Gynecology-Endocrine.
I think this is one of my greatest fascinations, having seen Reproduction practically born here in Brazil and evolving to the present moment.
In 1995 I finished the Residence and the Huntington Clinic was inaugurated. One of the first reproduction clinics in Brazil. In January 1996 I started working there, doing my master's degree together. A brand new area, we learned everything in practice, studying in books, articles and American congresses, because in Brazil there was nothing on the subject. Dr. Paulo Serafini, one of the founders of Huntington, lived in the USA and came to SP a few times a year to do the cases and teach us. We gathered the patients together in the same week, we woke up at 4 am to be able to collect all of them on the same day. There were many stories from that time! That was the beginning!!
I always did Obstetrics because I liked it and because at the beginning of the career we have to do everything, because we earn little. I did a lot of ultrasound, I was part of one of the first ultrasound classes at CETRUS and I worked in several laboratories as an ultrasonographer.
After 20 years of graduation I managed to open my own clinic, where I am today. In other words, it is the result of a LOT of work, LOT of dedication, LOT of love. It's my life.
Assisted Reproduction has become increasingly important in my career, it was the specialty that I dedicated myself to and studied the most and with that I set as a goal that I would stop with Obstetrics at 50 years old. I did hundreds of deliveries, from so many dear patients, the vast majority became pregnant while undergoing treatment with me which made that moment even more special. But I had to choose, because the agenda no longer includes the two specialties. I like to take it easy, I can't be in two places at the same time (obviously lol) and with the huge increase in the number of egg collections, I can't run the risk of having deliveries at the same time. I couldn't stop at 50 as it was the initial goal, but I'm stopping now, at almost 53 (I do it in July). I would be lying if I say I am not sad and finish this text with a tear in my eyes. It was a wonderful obstetric career and I will miss it, but (I love that phrase) LIFE IS MADE OF CHOICES!
I had to do this one!
I am always grateful for the trust of all my patients who believed in my work, because without you I would not have made it this far! Thank you very much!
June 10, 2020
