By Molly Franzonello
Editor’s Note: Dr. Joseph Davis, DO, FACOG, is a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist and Reproductive Endocrinologist, surgeon, and now director of the FACTS Fertility Integrative and Restorative Medical (FIRM) Fellowship. With more than 15 years of experience in fertility care, he brings a unique perspective to the growing field of cooperative reproductive endocrinology.
In this interview, Dr. Davis reflects on his journey from a conventional fertility practice to a holistic, restorative approach to reproductive healthcare and shares how that experience now informs his leadership of the FIRM Fellowship and the training of future physicians.
For much of his career, Dr. Joe Davis followed a path common among reproductive endocrinologists: OB/GYN residency, fellowship training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI), and a clinical focus on helping patients achieve pregnancy. After years in fertility medicine, however, Dr. Davis began to question whether his work should focus not only on overcoming infertility but also on understanding and restoring reproductive health and function.
That question ultimately led him to a conversation with Dr. Marguerite Duane, the executive director of FACTS, and her work. After an immersive educational experience through the FACTS CME course and NeoFertility and FEMM cohort trainings, Dr. Davis welcomed the opportunity to lead the FACTS Fellowship in Fertility Integrative and Restorative Medicine (FIRM) and train the next generation of clinicians.
A Lifelong Interest in Fertility
Unlike many physicians who enter OB/GYN because of a passion for obstetrics, Dr. Davis was drawn to fertility medicine from the beginning.
“I went into OB/GYN because I was actually very interested in fertility,” he said.
Knowing that the traditional pathway to fertility care involved residency followed by an REI fellowship, he pursued that route early in his training.
His residency provided extensive surgical experience, while fellowship training immersed him in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. At the time, he viewed fertility medicine through the lens most commonly available to specialists in the field.
The Growing Dominance of IVF
As Dr. Davis progressed through training and into practice, he witnessed significant changes in fertility medicine. Increasingly, assisted reproductive technologies like IVF became the primary focus of fertility care.
Over time, his own practice reflected those changes.
“As my career progressed, I found myself more and more focused on IVF,” he said.
Expanded insurance coverage and growing patient demand accelerated the trend.
“Patients were coming in the door saying, ‘My insurance told me you’re in network … I have this insurance that gives me free IVF,’” he said.
As IVF became more accessible, many patients arrived at fertility clinics expecting immediate intervention.
“IVF became the predominant treatment of choice for all different fertility issues,” Dr. Davis said.
While Dr. Davis found fulfillment in helping patients achieve pregnancy, he began to recognize that fertility medicine was increasingly focused on procedural solutions rather than on investigating the underlying causes of reproductive dysfunction.
“While Dr. Davis found fulfillment in helping patients achieve pregnancy, he began to recognize that fertility medicine was increasingly focused on procedural solutions rather than on investigating the underlying causes of reproductive dysfunction.”
Looking Beyond the Protocol
During a period of personal and professional reflection, Dr. Davis found himself increasingly interested in approaches aimed at understanding and restoring reproductive health. Around this time, he was introduced to Dr. Duane and the educational resources available through FACTS About Fertility.
“I owe a lot to Dr. Duane for opening my eyes to this whole world,” he said.
What began as an exploration quickly became a transformative learning experience. Despite years of fellowship training and clinical practice, Dr. Davis discovered there was much more to learn about fertility than he had previously appreciated.
“I had spent my career doing fertility in one particular way,” he said.
Rather than replacing his previous knowledge, this cooperative approach to hormonal and reproductive medicine expanded it.
“This was like everything you know is good—that’s the foundation—here is everything else,” Dr. Davis said.
The experience felt familiar in an unexpected way. He said it reminded him of going back to fellowship but with a new perspective.
Discovering the Power of the Female Cycle
Before his exposure to this new approach, discussions about ovulatory-menstrual cycles often focused on basic screening questions. Through FACTS education, Dr. Davis began viewing the female cycle as a rich source of diagnostic information.
“The fifth vital sign concept is real,” he said.
“Through FACTS education, Dr. Davis began viewing the female cycle as a rich source of diagnostic information. ‘The fifth vital sign concept is real.’”
He started asking patients more detailed questions about cycle characteristics, cervical mucus patterns, and symptoms. What happened next surprised him.
“Almost everybody that I was seeing suddenly had years’ worth of tracking data,” he said.
Many patients had been carefully observing and documenting their cycles for years, yet few clinicians had ever asked about that information. The conversations became deeper and more meaningful.
“Now we’re having a 20-minute conversation about their menstrual cycle,” he said.
For Dr. Davis, this represented more than a new clinical skill. It changed the way he connected with patients.
“It was a hugely beneficial opportunity for me to reconnect with my patients at a deeper level,” he said.
Finding a Professional Home in FACTS
As Dr. Davis immersed himself in fertility awareness-based methods and in cooperative hormonal and reproductive medicine, he sought educational opportunities to build on his existing expertise while learning an entirely new framework. FACTS provided both education and community.
More importantly, FACTS offered practical tools that could be integrated into patient care immediately. Dr. Davis often describes himself as a direct beneficiary of the CME course and community he received through a FACTS membership.
“I am a product of the benefit of FACTS,” he said.
“As Dr. Davis immersed himself in fertility awareness-based methods and in cooperative hormonal and reproductive medicine, he sought educational opportunities to build on his existing expertise…FACTS offered practical tools that could be integrated into patient care immediately.”
Building the Future Through the FIRM Fellowship
Today, Dr. Davis serves as director of the FACTS Fertility Integrative and Restorative Medical (FIRM) Fellowship, helping physicians develop expertise in fertility awareness-based methods and cooperative approaches to hormonal and reproductive health.
The fellowship’s mission resonates deeply with his own journey. Having spent years practicing fertility medicine within a conventional framework before discovering restorative approaches, he understands the challenges clinicians face when seeking additional training in this rapidly growing field.
For Dr. Davis, the FIRM Fellowship represents an opportunity to provide other physicians with the same educational foundation that transformed his own practice—one that expands the fertility lens beyond procedures and protocols to a deeper understanding of reproductive physiology and whole-person care.
Looking back, Dr. Davis recognizes how transformative that shift was in his own career. Through the FIRM Fellowship, he now helps other clinicians develop the knowledge and confidence to integrate these principles into their own practice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Molly Franzonello, DNP, MHA, is a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and Blog Editor at FACTS. Her clinical and editorial work focuses on fertility awareness, restorative reproductive medicine, and women’s health. Through these roles, she is committed to advancing patient-centered, evidence-based care, exploring systems and models that support this work, and expanding education on women’s fertility and health.
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