Dr. William D. Schlaff, a dedicated clinician, creative leader, and gifted teacher in the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, passed away on January 19, 2024. Dr. Schlaff was the Paul A. and Eloise B. Bowers Professor and Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Thomas Jefferson University Sidney Kimmel Medical College from 2011 to 2022.

Dr. Schlaff earned his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School. Prior to coming to Sidney Kimmel Medical College in 2011, he was the Vice Chair and founding Division Director of Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, where he was a faculty member for 22 years.  Prior to that, he was a fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and later a faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine for eight years. Dr. Schlaff was an expert in the areas of reproductive disorders, including infertility, pregnancy loss, endometriosis, and menopause. He continued to have a bustling infertility practice until 2022.

Continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for 15 years, Dr. Schlaff was a prolific clinical researcher who published over 150 scientific papers. He held numerous national leadership positions, including being a member of the ASRM Board of Directors and President of the Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI) in 2004.

Renowned for establishing connections and building teams, Dr. Schlaff was an encouraging mentor for faculty, residents, and colleagues. His leadership was notable for his consensus-building, his focus on growth, and his encouragement of every member of his team to pursue that which brought them joy. Colleagues remember him as caring, kind, and always full of advice and support.

Dr. Schlaff is survived by his wife of 31 years, Lorraine Dugoff; their children Daniel, Maura, and Julia; his sister, Barbara Schlaff; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

In recognition of his illustrious career and mentorship success, a fund has been established at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine to support an annual William D. Schlaff Symposium on Mentorship and Career Development at the ASRM Congress.

Donate to the William D. Schlaff, MD, Mentorship And Career Development Symposium Fund