Dr. Shu Foong

Dr. Shu Foong is a fertility specialist who sees patients in Calgary.

About Dr. Shu Foong

Dr. Shu Foong doesn’t actually recall consciously making the decision to become a physician. There were no other physicians in her family and as such, she did not have one as a role model as a child. She was always fascinated by science and spent a lot of time volunteering in hospitals and mock-disaster training sessions during high school. It was the social interaction aspect of this that she enjoyed the most. During her undergraduate studies, Dr. Foong was accepted into medical school at the age of 19.

Dr. Foong completed medical training followed by a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary. She subsequently completed a 3-year American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Mayo Clinic, USA. During this time, she was selected as one of “America’s Top Physicians 2004-2005” by the Consumers’ Research Council of America. Upon returning to Canada, Dr. Foong was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology where she was on staff at the Mt. Sinai Hospital Reproductive Biology Unit.

The Calgary Regional Fertility Program opened its doors in 1984. Since that time, its IVF program has resulted in the successful delivery of over 15,200 babies. Dr. Foong currently operates as the Medical Director at Calgary Regional Fertility Program. Her passion and thirst for knowledge and research assist her in providing a level of care she believes is paramount.

The Calgary Regional Fertility Program’s high level of personal care is seen through its physicians. Dr. Foong’s standard day begins at the Clinic at 7:30 am and ends at 5:00 pm with patient care filling these hours, followed by administration and research duties into the evenings. All Calgary Regional Fertility Program physicians personally perform all IVF cycle monitoring ultrasounds, sonohysterogram and hysterosalpingogram procedures. Dr. Foong explains that this is why a patient may run into a physician at various locations in the city during their appointments. Every patient undergoing IVF treatment at the Calgary Regional Fertility Program has her cycle reviewed by a team of 2 physicians, embryologist and nurse daily. Dr. Foong works closely with the other 6 Calgary Regional Fertility Program physicians to draw on the collective experience of the entire team to review challenging cases as a “best practice approach” within the Clinic.

Dr. Foong is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Calgary where she teaches medical students and residents. The field of Reproductive Medicine on a whole is continually pushing the boundaries to achieve greater success for patients while reducing complications and the burden and stress of treatment. Over the next five years, Dr. Foong expects to see greater developments in the ability to individualize and simplify protocols. Dr. Foong also expects to see strides in the ability to help more patients attain their goals of having families, such as in the field of elective, oncologic and transgender fertility preservation. She has worked hard to keep Regional Fertility Program abreast with cutting-edge technology by developing the ovarian tissue freezing program in Calgary.

Dr. Foong finds a balance between her passion in work with another passion: her family. On the weekends, she tries to spend as much time as possible at home with her husband and two children. “They are very supportive and tolerant of the work that I do, and so weekends are for them.” Dr. Foong opens up. “I love to bake, cook, travel and do just about anything that allows me to use my creative side.” For Dr. Foong, being at home surrounded by nature and family is very tranquil for her and allows her time to pause and reflect.