Orhan Bukulmez, M.D.

Orhan Bukulmez, M.D.

  • Bruce R. Carr, M.D. Professorship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology - Fertility
  • Assisted reproductive technologies
  • Diminished ovarian reserve

Biography

Orhan Bukulmez, M.D., is a Professor and Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Also the Medical Director of UTSW’s Fertility and Advanced Reproductive Medicine Clinic and the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)/In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Program, he specializes in ART and minimally invasive fertility surgery and is the inaugural holder of the Bruce R. Carr, M.D., Professorship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

A native of Turkey, Dr. Bukulmez earned his medical degree at Hacettepe University, where he was valedictorian. After completing residencies in obstetrics and gynecology at Ankara University and Hacettepe University, he joined the faculty at Hacettepe and advanced to Associate Professor with tenure before embarking on his career in the U.S.

In the United States, Dr. Bukulmez completed an internship in obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University, where he also carried out research in reproductive medicine focusing on endometriosis and ovarian physiology. He completed additional residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Southern Illinois University and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, followed by a three-year fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at UT Southwestern.

Board certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, Dr. Bukulmez joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2010 after serving at the University of Florida College of Medicine as the Division Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and as the Medical Director of the IVF and Egg Donation programs. He has extensive experience in hysteroscopic surgery, laparoscopic surgery, myomectomy, and other fertility-promoting procedures.

His research interests include ART/IVF, infertility, ovarian aging and diminished ovarian reserve, endometriosis, and genomic regulation in reproductive tissues. He has delivered scores of presentations and published numerous abstracts, articles, and book chapters in his areas of expertise.

He is the editor and author of the book Diminished Ovarian Reserve and Assisted Reproductive Technologies: Current Research and Clinical Management. In addition, he is an Associate Editor of Reproductive Sciences, serves on the editorial board of The Turkish Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and is an ad hoc reviewer for several other scholarly journals.

Dr. Bukulmez is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, the Society for Reproductive Investigation, and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

For several years in a row, Dr. Bukulmez has been included in Texas Monthly’s list of Super Doctors. He is also a D Magazine Best Doctor, and in 2020 Collin Child magazine included him in its list of Mom-Approved Ob/Gyns, Midwives, and Fertility Specialists.

Personal Note

In his personal time, Dr. Bukulmez enjoys spending time with his family, playing his electric guitars, and reading books on history.

Meet Dr. Bukulmez

IVF Specialist in Dallas

Reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist Orhan Bukulmez, M.D., is internationally renowned for helping patients achieve their fertility goals.

Using assisted reproductive technologies (ART), Dr. Bukulmez has every tool available at his fingertips to personalize a plan for each patient, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), anonymous donor eggs and sperm, and the gestational carrier program. He performs fertility-promoting surgeries such as laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and myomectomy; nonsurgical procedures such as intrauterine insemination (IUI); fertility-preservation techniques such as egg and embryo freezing; and specialized approaches for patients with diminished ovarian reserve, called minimal and mild stimulation IVF protocols.

That personalization, Dr. Bukulmez says, is what makes UT Southwestern’s fertility program stand apart from the rest.

“We offer individualized protocols for each and every patient,” he says. “We find therapies for each patient’s problem rather than performing general treatment. That’s our niche.”

Minimal-stimulation IVF, or mild-stimulation IVF, is a unique therapy for patients with diminished ovarian reserve and/or advanced reproductive age. It involves less medication and less aggressive ovarian stimulation than conventional IVF and focuses on retrieving higher-quality eggs. This often results in fewer side effects for the patient and less cost.

“At UT Southwestern, we have been championing this approach in Texas and the surrounding states since 2012. It may make IVF more affordable and more successful, which also makes it less intimidating for patients with diminished ovarian reserve or advanced reproductive age,” Dr. Bukulmez says.

Dr. Bukulmez and his staff also take care of the reproductive and fertility preservation needs of the LGBTQ community.

Dr. Bukulmez has more than 20 years of training and experience with fertility issues and patient care. He also specializes in fertility preservation for women with cancer before they undergo treatment or for those who wish to delay getting pregnant and want to freeze their eggs or embryos.

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Education & Training
  • Medical School - Hacettepe University (1983-1989)
  • Residency - Hacettepe University (1990-1994), Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Residency - George Washington University School of Medicine (1997-1997), Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Residency - University of Ankara School of Medicine (1989-1990), Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Research Fellowship - Yale University School of Medicine (1994-1995), Reproductive Endocrinology
  • Residency - Yale University School of Medicine (1995-1996), Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Fellowship - Parkland Health & Hospital System (2004-2007), Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility
  • Residency - University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (2002-2004), Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Residency - Southern Illinois University (2001-2002), Obstetrics & Gynecology
Professional Associations & Affiliations
  • American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  • Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies
  • Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
  • Society for Reproductive Investigation
Honors & Awards
  • Best Doctor 2019-2022, D Magazine
  • Texas Super Doctor 2015-2020, Texas Monthly
  • Mom-Approved OBGYNs, Midwives, and Fertility Specialists Recognition 2020, Collin Child Magazine
  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Star Award 2018-2019, ASRM Scientific Congress & Expo
  • Excellence in Teaching Award 2010, Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida College of Medicine
  • Golden Apple Award 2010, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida
  • J. Lee Dockery M.D. Teaching Cup 2009, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida
  • Exemplary Teacher Award 2009, University of Florida College of Medicine
  • CREOG Faculty Award for Excellence in Resident Education 2008, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
  • Academic Excellence Award 2004, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
  • Catherine H. Arnaud Award 2004, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
  • Berlex Best Teaching Resident Award 2002, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • CREOG Examination Award 2002, Southern Illinois University
  • Top Scorer 1990, Turkish Medical Residency Entrance Examination, Basic and Medical Sciences
  • Championship Award 1989, Turkish Journal of Clinical Sciences
  • Professor Dr. Ihsan Dogramaci Prize 1989, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine
  • Professor Dr. Seref Zieli Award 1987, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine
Books & Publications
Research
  • Assisted reproductive technologies
  • Ovarian physiology
  • Endometriosis
  • Genomic regulation in reproductive tissues
  • Diminished ovarian reserve

Clinical Focus

  • Assisted reproductive technologies
  • Diminished ovarian reserve
  • Advanced reproductive age
  • Fertility preservation
  • Infertility

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Q&A by Dr. Bukulmez