By: Molly Franzonello
Editor’s Note: In this week’s special feature blog, we are delighted to feature Dr. Amaryllis Sánchez Wohlever, our keynote speaker on Friday evening of our virtual conference, Lifestyle for Healthy Cycles, on October 10th-11th. Dr. Sánchez will present on physician wellness and infertility. As the new Director of Education at FACTS, Dr. Sánchez works closely with Dr. Marguerite Duane to facilitate and promote the medical student elective. We are excited to share her story with you. Over the next few months, we will highlight our other conference speakers as well, so stay tuned and register today!
Introducing Dr. Amaryllis Sánchez Wohlever
At the crossroads of medicine, mentorship, and mission stands Dr. Amaryllis Sánchez Wohlever, a family physician, educator, and author whose career spans decades and disciplines – but always returns to a single call: to humanize health care.
Now serving as the Director of Education for FACTS, Dr. Sánchez is bringing that mission to the forefront of medical education. “We’ve trained over a thousand students through our elective, and many of them want to bring fertility awareness into their clinical practice,” she shares. “Our goal now is to equip them with the tools – and the people – they need to do that well.”
As FACTS expands its offerings for residents and clinicians, her focus is clear: “It’s not just about information – it’s about relationships. It’s about translating knowledge into care.”
Rooted in Legacy, Reaching for Change
Dr. Sánchez’s journey began long before she received her white coat. Raised in Puerto Rico by a trailblazing mother who rose to become Secretary of Labor, Dr. Sánchez recalls a home rich in both intellectual curiosity and professional excellence. “My mom was a servant leader – intelligent, fearless, and full of integrity,” she says. “She shaped me in ways I’m still discovering.”
So did another towering figure: Mother Teresa. “She was tiny but mighty,” Dr. Sánchez says. “Her faith made her courageous. She showed me that you can be humble and bold at the same time.”
That combination of inner strength and outward service shaped Dr. Sánchez’s vocation – not only as a physician, but as a mentor, coach, and speaker. Her early career included service in the U.S. Air Force, followed by a transformative chapter in family medicine, where she was introduced to fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) and restorative reproductive medicine (RRM).
“That combination of inner strength and outward service shaped Dr. Sánchez’s vocation – not only as a physician, but as a mentor, coach, and speaker.”
“I was sent to train in the Creighton Model just months into my first civilian practice,” she recalls. “It was life-changing. I had no idea how much I hadn’t learned in medical school about the female cycle, fertility tracking, or treating common women’s health conditions with restorative approaches. I felt almost betrayed by my training – and deeply grateful for the chance to learn.”
Bridging Burnout with Purpose
But her calling did not stop at the clinic. After stepping away from the exam room for a season with the birth of her third child – an experience she calls “humanizing” – she began to write. One book led to another, then to national speaking engagements, physician coaching, and advocacy work on behalf of clinician wellbeing.
“I never wanted other doctors or nurses to burn out like I nearly did,” she says. “We go into this work full of compassion and purpose. But somewhere along the way, with so many distractions and competing priorities in our clinical work, we can forget who we are. We can lose our joy.”
Her book Recapturing Joy in Medicine resonated with thousands. And her coaching has helped medical professionals across the country rediscover the calling behind their credentials.
“It always comes back to alignment,” she explains. “Knowing who you are, what you value, and how you’re uniquely called to serve – it’s an antidote to burnout. That’s how we restore not only the system, but ourselves.”
“Knowing who you are, what you value, and how you’re uniquely called to serve – it’s … how we restore not only the system, but ourselves.”
Vision for the Future
At FACTS, that restoration continues – one student, one elective, one partnership at a time. “We’re now getting calls from residency directors, nursing programs, and even international medical schools that want to incorporate our curriculum,” Dr. Sánchez shares. “It’s incredibly exciting – and it confirms the need is real.”
But for her, the heart of the work is still personal. “We want medical professionals to be able to practice with integrity, to educate with confidence, and to care in ways that are truly humanizing for their patients – and for themselves.”
At FACTS, that restoration continues – one student, one elective, one partnership at a time…“We want medical professionals to be able to practice with integrity, to educate with confidence, and to care in ways that are truly humanizing for their patients.”
Looking ahead, she remains grounded in a simple truth: “We’re not called to be successful. We’re called to be faithful.”
With a lifetime of leadership behind her and a clear-eyed vision ahead, Dr. Amaryllis Sánchez Wohlever continues to answer that call – faithfully, courageously, and with deep compassion for the future of medicine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Molly Franzonello
Molly Franzonello is the FACTS Communications & Social Media Coordinator. Molly brings extensive experience in health care management, program design, and health policy, holding a MS in Nursing and a Master of Health Administration. She is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Midwifery at Columbia University’s School of Nursing. She previously served as a Health Equity Specialist at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, working on ways to reduce maternal mortality through a special project. Molly contributed to the Defense Health Agency in several roles, improving access to primary care clinics. She will create engaging content and co-manage our online presence to promote fertility awareness and looks forward to continuing to advance healthcare through education!
Inspired by what you read?
You can support the ongoing work of FACTS here. To connect with a member of our team, please email development@FACTSaboutFertility.org. Interested in becoming an individual or organizational member? You can learn more and register here. To discuss with a member of our team, please email membership@FACTSaboutFertility.org.
Join Dr. Sanchez, Dr. Duane and other FACTS members at the FACTS pre-conference at the FMEC! Early bird deadline is THIS Monday, July 14th, so register today!
