Maggie McKay (Host): Welcome to Time to Talk Fertility: Beyond the Lab Coat, a podcast from Fertility Centers of Illinois. Join us as we go behind the scenes with Dr. Sam Ohlander, reproductive urologist to discover what inspires his work, how he connects with patients, and what drives his passion for helping families grow. Real stories, real purpose, real care.

I'm your host, Maggie McKay. Thank you so much for being here, Dr. Ohlander.

Dr. Sam Ohlander: Oh, absolutely. Thank you for having me, and thank you for doing this with me.

Host: Of course, we look forward to getting to know a little bit more about you. Let's see. Let's just start with if you would share your full name and credentials.

Dr. Sam Ohlander: My name is Sam Ohlander. I'm a reproductive urologist at the Fertility Centers of Illinois.

Host: What inspired you to pursue medicine, specifically reproductive urology?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: Well, what inspired me to go into medicine first was my grandfather. He was a small town family physician and I saw the impact firsthand that he had on his community. And that was something that really inspired me to be able to help people make their way through difficult, challenging times, healthcare issues, things like that. And just seeing the appreciation that the community had for him was truly inspiring. So, it's something that I kind always knew I wanted to go into.

And then, specifically, once I went into medical school, was kind of exploring the options, I knew I wanted to do something surgical because I like. Working with my hands. I like being able to see a definitive resolution with something surgical. But I didn't like necessarily the massive surgeries and such. And so, I had an uncle who was a urologist who inspired me to explore that area, of medicine. And then in, doing so, I got tied in with Dr. Craig Niederberger, who really introduced me to the world of reproductive medicine and had mentored me throughout care. And as soon as I got to learn more about the field, I was kind of hooked on its potential, and its ability to really impact families.

Host: That's so cool. Your grandfather and your uncle, did either of them get to see the day that you became a urologist?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: My grandfather, unfortunately, did not. But my uncle, he was a general urologist out in Colorado, recently retired. So, he is living the good life now. But he certainly got to see me go into that field and had been somebody that I lean on with questions. And it really helped me with make that decision to go into this field of medicine.

Host: That must have made him so proud and happy. What do you find most rewarding about your work?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I find the most rewarding thing about all that I do, is the outcomes. Being able to have a conversation with a patient afterwards and being able to see a child. And something that brings so much light and so much joy to their face. That moment where you're on like a virtual call with patients and they're able to pan over and show you their child and just the way that the excitement in their voice and the joy in their face. Being able to be a part of that, it's incredible. It's absolutely incredible.

Host: It's got to be rewarding. I mean, you touched on this a little bit, but was there like a particular moment that reaffirmed why you chose this field?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I'm not sure if there was a particular moment that reaffirmed why I chose this field, but I do find that every single day that I'm in practice, it reaffirms it. There's something about each day, about certain patient encounters, about a conversation I have or discussion I'm even having with a referring physician. There's something about each and every single day that lets me know that this is the right field of medicine for me to be in because I love what I do, and I love every aspect about it. And I really see that daily.

Host: You sounds like it. How do you hope to make a difference in your patients' lives?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I hope to make a difference in my patients' lives by helping them through this journey. If they're coming into our offices, they're typically not in a scenario where they're just trying to conceive. They've been going through what can oftentimes be a very difficult, emotionally, physically, financially draining process and to be able to be somebody as a resource that can help guide them along their path in a way that they're most comfortable with. So, presenting them with options, presenting 'em with various pathways of care, and frankly, educating too. I spend a lot of time in my consultations explaining the results, explaining what I'm interpreting from a physical examination or their medical history. And that really is something that I want to be there for them, is to be there to explain so that they understand this process and why each step along the way is happening.

Host: And Dr. Ohlander, what drives your passion for helping individuals and families on their journey to parenthood?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: Well, I think that what drives my passion, as the couples are going along this journey, is just an understanding for how difficult it can be. And so, I think that when there's those instances where people are struggling to be able to be somebody that can help them in any capacity, I think, that that is something that I want to be there and be able to do. And so, that's always motivating me to do my best for each couple that walks in these doors so that we can help them with their end goal.

Host: How would you describe your approach to patient care?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: My approach to patient care is educational based. I think that when patients come in, I want to explain to them kind of what their results are and I want to allow them to have options. So, my goal always is to improve the male factor in any capacity so that we can provide them with options because not everyone's pathway is the same. Not everyone's goals are the same in terms of reproductive care. So, I want to have a great understanding for what that couple wants so that I can help guide them in the best way possible.

Host: And what's most important to you when you're guiding a patient through treatment?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I would say what's most important to me in guiding a patient through care is that we're making these decisions together. This is not something where patients come in and I'm telling them what needs to be done. This is a collaborative effort. it's between me and the patient or me and the couple as well as the partners, physician potentially as well. We're all coming together to collaborate to ultimately reach the outcome through the pathway that the couple feels is best for them.

Host: How do you help patients feel supported and empowered throughout this journey? Because I'm sure it's scary and they probably feel like they don't know where to start.

Dr. Sam Ohlander: Yeah. I think one of the most important things in helping a patient feel supported early on is just in that initial consultation when they walk in the door, that's not the first time I'm seeing their information. I'm spending a lot of time before I'm seeing that patient, really looking into their past testing, any past evaluations that they may have had, anything that may be available to me on the partner side of care as well, so that when they're walking in that door, I know their information. I can start talking to them, provide them kind of my interpretation of a summary so that it kind of doesn't make them have to walk in the door and explain everything so we can sit and have a conversation. I'm not typing throughout the entire talk. We sit and we talk face-to-face and have a conversation. We talk about the results and we can talk about what's most important. So, I think coming in with knowledge of the patient, with anything that's been provided really helps establish that bond initially.

Host: How do you balance science and technology and empathy in your work?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think balancing science, technology and empathy is incredibly challenging. I think that as a whole, I'm a fairly pragmatic pragmatic person. I follow logic, but I use data and science to kind of help support that. And so, most of my care, I very much take a data-driven approach or a evidence-based approach to medicine.

But within that, things don't always happen the way that you want 'em to. And so, I think hearing the patient and understanding their struggles and allowing them to talk with you about their challenges through all of this is incredibly important. So, it can be me talking about some of the science and the logic aspects of things, but you can never eliminate that emotional aspect too, because that always has to be a component of the discussion of the care. Because ultimately, no one pathway is right. Oftentimes there's various pathways and it may not be always the way that science tells us.

Host: What are your special areas of clinical interest and what draws you to them?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: So, my special areas of clinical interest are obviously the male side of reproductive care. That's my primary focus and the primary aspect of my practice. That's hormonal management of patients in a reproductive safe fashion. I do some hormonal management that's not as reproductive, say things like testosterone therapy and things along those lines, though that's down the road after families are established.

I also have a strong interest in sexual health. And then, ultimately, the surgical care of these patients as well. So, I really enjoy doing microsurgery. And that's a component of my practice that allows me to treat these reproductive health patients in a comprehensive fashion.

Host: And where did you complete your medical education, residency, fellowship training?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I am somebody who has been in Northern Illinois for the vast majority of my life. I did my college down at the University of Illinois in Champaign. And then, I stayed within the University of Illinois system and did my medical school and residency at the University of Illinois, Chicago, so in the city. I then went down to Baylor College of Medicine where I did a fellowship in Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery with Dr. Larry Lipshultz, who's one of the greatest reproductive physicians that there is, and one of the greatest people that I know and then came back to Chicago to be in practice.

Host: That's great. Was there something you learned along the way that continues to shape your approach today?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think what I've learned along the way that continues to shape my approach is that no one patient is alike. I think that's an important thing, is I think that you need to look at each scenario. And I think that one of the most important things is recognizing the factors that are different.

Recognizing the factors that make that patient, so that maybe they're falling outside of what might be the norms so that you can address and find out why is that component relevant and how can you help the patients manage that to help them find success. So, I think that just recognizing that everyone is unique from a physiologic standpoint, from a psychological standpoint, from all different aspects of care is one of the most important things that we can do.

Host: And what excites you most about the future of reproductive medicine?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: What excites me the most about the future of reproductive medicine is I think that there is a great commitment to understanding more of the male. I think for decades there's been so much blame on the female for anything that had to do with reproductive care, that oftentimes the male got bypassed.

I think nowadays we're at a point where we're truly recognizing that there's more to the male side of reproductive health that can contribute to the success or lack of success of the couple. And so, I think that there's a greater commitment to the basic sciences in terms of research and understanding sperm, physiology and reproductive physiology. That we're going to really get more diagnostics on the male side of things as well as, hopefully, more therapies on the male side of things, because a lot of those are greatly limited. I think that we're going to see some components of AI that might make its way into medicine. Already, we're seeing it would make its way into medicine.

So, I think there'll be a lot of curiosity on how that might apply to reproductive medicine in a safe way. And so, that's something that I think is really going to be over the next decade or so, really shaping not just reproductive care, but medicine in general.

Host: What accomplishment in your practice or career are you most proud of?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think the accomplishments in my career that I'm most proud of, and I'll say this outside of the clinical successes, because I think that will be the greatest reward for any physician is seeing families grow or any reproductive physician is seeing families grow. But outside of that is I do have a component of teaching to my clinical practice as well. And that's something that I take a lot of pride in. I do work through the University of Illinois and Chicago, train medical students, residents, and fellows, and that's been a very rewarding aspect of my practice to see them go out and succeed. It's to see them establish practices in various areas of the country or globally where they're treating reproductive health in an area where maybe it didn't have those services previously.

And then, continuing to get those calls from those trainees, to ask questions, to lean on and, frankly, provide a resource for me to have clinical discussions, to bounce ideas off, and to learn because medicine is constant education and evolution. It's something where you can never really be complacent, so you get education from everyone.

Host: So, what do your patients often say that they appreciate most about working with you?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think that my patients appreciate the time that we spend in talking through things. I don't rush through a patient visit. I have conversations with patients and I think that each patient is allotted a significant amount of time that we can have these discussions that are so very important.

And I think that my patients also appreciate that the thorough nature which we discuss their care. I talk about each lab in detail to explain to the patients, how I am interpreting those results, what everything means to me in comparison to reference range thresholds and things like that, as well as how those different values might impact their care. I thoroughly explain the physical examination and the findings of what I'm looking for and what anatomical features I might see or might not see, and how that may play a role in reproductive health. And I think I'm thorough in talking about the different treatment pathways. Because, again, there's not one treatment pathway or, I should say, there's rarely one treatment pathway that any patient needs to pursue. So, it's about understanding what these options are, which pathway fits the goals of that couple best.

Host: Dr. Ohlander, how do you build trust and meaningful connection with your patients?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think I build trust and meaningful connection with my patients early on in those first visits by listening to what they have to say to understand where they're at in their reproductive journey, and understanding where the struggles have been, understanding what their goals and reproductive health are.

And then, frankly coming into each visit prepared. And I think that's an important aspect of things, and that's my commitment to the patients is that I'm going to come into their visit prepared to have a discussion about their reproductive health and how we can benefit them.

Host: So with patients who are feeling anxious or discouraged, what advice do you often share with them?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think for patients that are feeling anxious or discouraged, and I'll start with anxious because I kind of can see these as slightly different, but patients who are feeling anxious, I think the most important thing is just coming in, just making that initial commitment to come in and have a discussion. We'll talk through things. We'll understand what their levels might be. We'll understand where their areas of anxiety might be so that, hopefully, I can appease them. You know, guys are typically not established within the healthcare system, oftentimes their introduction to the healthcare system is through reproductive care. So, there might be some apprehension about what actually happens in a medical visit.

So, my first statement after my introduction to the patients is typically just outlining what they can expect in the visit. So that, throughout the visit, then they know what kind of we're going to be doing as a next step. So, it hopefully helps alleviate some of the anxiety.

For the patients that are feeling down with kind of their results, I talk through everything with them. I talk through the areas where we might find areas of improvement, where we can address things and so they understand each aspect of the care. I think having knowledge and having an understanding of the numbers and what we're looking at and of the options helps every individual, and helps them hopefully find some optimism in their care.

Host: What message of encouragement would you share with those who are still hoping to build their family?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: Well, I always say to couples who are still trying to build their families to lean on their team. because I think that the support system that they have is incredibly important. They've got physicians on the female reproductive care side of things on the male reproductive care side of things. They've got incredible nurses, who are there and who are working through reproductive healthcare scenarios every single day. Not to say that the instances are not unique, but to say that this team has dealt with a lot. And so we can be here to answer your questions and rarely would a question be a first time question. So, using that support service is incredibly important.

Host: that would be reassuring. that's a good point. They've heard it all basically. what's one lesson your patients have taught you?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: One of the big things my patients have taught me, I'd probably say is how to explain some of the results. I think that early on in my career when I was discussing results with patients, I think at times it could be overwhelming because these numbers, frankly, are overwhelming for everyone.

And I think, I've learned from patients what numbers matter and how to discuss them in a way that we're all on the same page. And so for me, I'll always go through these numbers and explain them. And then, one of the most important questions that I ask in the conversation is if all those made sense in a way that they understand. Because I really want everything to be clear and this not to be doctor's talk or doctor's Jargon. I want it to be in clear language as to what we're looking at and what we're doing from a reproductive care standpoint.

Host: Outside of medicine, what brings you joy or balance?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think the simplest answer for that is my family. I feel like there's two kind of silos in my life and there's some, you know, obviously overlap, but it's working. It's family and my family, my wife and I've got two kids and a dog. And they give me balance and bring me peace and bring a little bit of chaos and all those things that are what make me happy.

Host: So what do you love to do for fun? Any hobbies, interests?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: So, what do I do for fun? I enjoy sports. I'm somebody who enjoys university of Illinois sports. Unfortunately, they don't win as often as I'd like. The same story can be said for a lot of the Chicago sports teams that I like. But that's something that I would say I'm passionate about, as much as I wish I had a bunch of hobbies, I don't. I bought a set of golf clubs this past summer and they're still in the box. But I would say getting outdoors, going fishing, that's something that I do truly enjoy, and that's something that gives me a lot of peace.

Host: What's something people might be surprised to learn about you?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: Well, one thing people might be surprised and maybe, I guess, to learn about me is that I cut my own hair. I say maybe because, you know, they might look at me and think that, something's wrong there. So it might make a little bit more sense once, people hear that comment. But it's something that I started doing probably 20 years ago, as a student just for convenience. I've just kept up with it.

Host: What three words best describe you?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think what three words best describe me? I would say honest, you know, I'm always going to approach every scenario with honesty. I think that that's one of the most important things a person can be, is honest. I'm compassionate. And then, I would say pragmatic. I try to approach things with logic in most instances. It's not always something that you can do a hundred percent, but it's typically the pathway that I approach any issue.

Host: What's the best concert you've ever been to?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I'd probably say the best concert that I've ever been to has been Taylor Swift, which I am not a huge Taylor Swift person. It was something that I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend through some tickets with my wife got through work. But just the production value of that concert and just going through the song after song, every song was a hit that even somebody like me who is not a big Taylor Swift fan, I knew the song. So, I mean, it was incredible. It was absolutely incredible.

But I'd say my 1B would be Tom Petty and Chris Stapleton played together at Wrigley Field, and I went with my wife and my father-in-law, and that was incredible. Those are two of my favorite artists. So, that was something that I really, really enjoyed.

Host: That's amazing. What movie or show is your guilty pleasure, the one you can watch over and over?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: So, I say one show or movie that is my guilty pleasure, this is a little embarrassing to say, but there's a lot of shows on Bravo that I'm pretty into. It's my mindless show that I can always put on at night is when I spend a lot of my time reviewing patient charts and things along those lines. And I always like to have something mindless kind of in the background. And I wish I could say it was even one Bravo show, but it's not. There's all sorts of shows within the Bravoverse or Bravo universe or whatever that I truly enjoy.

Host: If you could instantly be great at any Olympic sport, what would it be?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: If I could instantly be great at any Olympic sport, I think that's tricky because I think there's a lot of them. I think you could look at like, basketball or something and say, well, that you can make a career out of that. But being realistic with it, I guess, probably something with track and field maybe like just the a hundred meter dash.Because I think that that's a way that you could really impress people in most, social situations. If you could go and all of a sudden say like, "Hey, I'm really fast and run a hundred yard dash," I think that's something that you could do in all sorts of different scenarios and use probably far more than maybe throwing a javelin or something.

Host: Yeah, you need a lot of space for that and to have it with you all the time. As a kid, what did you dream of becoming?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: So as a child, you know, I'd say there was a point in time where I had that belief that I was going to be a professional football and baseball player. I think that lots of little boys have that dream. And you know, I always think that it's not just even going to be one sport, it's going to be two sports. But you know, as soon as you kind of give up that dream, which I think for me happened fairly early, for me, it's always been medicine. That's been something that, as far back as I can remember, I've wanted to be a doctor. And again, I go back to my grandfather who was that influence for me in guiding me towards a career in medicine, because I just saw all the wonderful things that he did for his community. And that's something that, at every point in my life, medicine was always at the top of the list.

Host: Are you an indoor or an outdoor person?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I would say, just trying to decide whether I'm an indoor and an outdoor person, I would say I'm generally an outdoor person. I love being in the more remote outdoors going fishing. I think that being on a lake is probably my happy spot, and that can be boating and having fun, or that can be just out fishing.

But being outside in nature is probably the point where I'm most at peace. Not to say that I don't love a good night indoors, just watching some TV, watching Bravo or something along those lines, because I certainly enjoy that too. But I think generally the happiest I am is when I'm outdoors.

Host: And one of the most important questions, what should patients look for when they're choosing a fertility clinic?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: I think that when patients are choosing a fertility clinic, they should look at the physicians, they should evaluate the bios to understand what might click, but then they should be also looking at things like SART data. Every fertility clinic is going to report their numbers. Look at the various aspects of care.

You know, I think that one of great things about Fertility Centers of Illinois is the comprehensive care and the comprehensive or vast support network or resources that you have here, the tying together of both male and female reproductive healthcare in one setting. So, I think looking at those things can help a couple in selecting the fertility center that is best for them.

Host: And what would you say sets Fertility Centers of Illinois apart from other fertility clinics?

Dr. Sam Ohlander: There's many things that sets the Fertility Centers of Illinois apart from other fertility clinics. I think the comprehensive nature of evaluating The female side of care, the male side of care, and how things are coming together is one of the very, very unique aspects of things. Everything can be in-house, in one system where there's direct communication.

I also think that fertility Centers of Illinois is truly that they're a fertility center. They don't approach them. This as a IVF center where everything is targeted and every patient walking through the doors is directed towards IVF. I think that each patient that comes in, we take the time to understand what their goals in care are and which pathway towards family growth is the pathway that best suits that couple.

Host: Well, thank you so much for being here today and sharing your expertise. It's been a pleasure getting to know a little bit about you. We really appreciate your time.

Dr. Sam Ohlander: Thank you.

Host: Again, that's Dr. Sam Ohlander. And if you'd like to find Dr. Ohlander, please visit fcionline.com/doctors. If you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out our entire podcast library for topics of interest to you. I'm Maggie McKay. Thank you for listening to Time to Talk Fertility: Beyond the Lab Coat, a podcast from Fertility Centers of Illinois.