Meet Dr. Mersol-Barg

Michael S. Mersol-Barg, M.D. is a certified Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is also a Board certified Diplomate of the Reproductive Endocrinology subspecialty. Dr. Mersol-Barg participates in all forms of continued medical education, regularly attends professional meetings, and renews his certification in the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the subspecialty Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility every year.

A graduate of the Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1984, Dr. Mersol-Barg continued his medical training at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1985, Dr. Mersol-Barg completed his internship in obstetrics and gynecology, and in 1988, he completed his obstetrics and gynecology residency at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Mersol-Barg then returned to Columbus, Ohio to receive his subspecialty fellowship training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the Ohio State University Hospital, which was completed in 1990.

After his fellowship training, Dr. Mersol-Barg joined the Henry Ford Health System as a senior staff physician in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology. In 1992, he became the assistant director of Henry Ford’s In Vitro Fertilization Program. From 1995 through 1998, Dr. Mersol-Barg was the Medical Director for Henry Ford’s Reproductive Medicine Center and was also the Division Head for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. During his eight years at Henry Ford, Dr. Mersol-Barg oversaw reproductive endocrinology training for residents from four different hospitals. He also served as an instructor for the University of Michigan College of Medicine and as an assistant professor for Case Western Reserve University College of Medicine. Dr. Mersol-Barg received the Berlex Research Foundation Faculty Development Award, which started his interest and focus on evidence-based medicine.

In December of 1998, Dr. Mersol-Barg went into private practice so that he could dedicate more of his time and expertise to directly help people with infertility and reproductive endocrine problems. Currently, Dr. Mersol-Barg is on staff at Beaumont Hospital- Royal Oak, Beaumont Hospital-Troy, Crittenton Hospital, Detroit Medical Center, Oakwood Hospital, St. Joseph Mercy-Oakland Hospital. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine and teaches medical students and residents at St. Joseph Mercy-Oakland.

In 2006, after Beaumont Hospital announced the closure of its andrology and in vitro fertilization laboratories, Dr. Mersol-Barg established SMART Labs so that doctors and patients would have continued access to the same services Beaumont provided. SMART Labs also offered Dr. Mersol-Barg the opportunity to install the newest equipment, implement cutting-edge technologies and use the latest techniques that are often stymied by the slow-moving administration of a big health system.

Dr. Mersol-Barg is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (F.A.C.O.G.), and is a member of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, The Endocrine Society, the Michigan Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (where he currently serves as President), the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies, the Society for Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, the Society for Reproductive Endocrinologists, and the Society of Reproductive Surgeons. Dr. Mersol-Barg is long-time member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Journal of Minimally Invasive Laparoscopy. He was elected in 2010 to a three-year term as Chair of the State of Michigan's Fertility Advisory Committee, which works with Michigan's Health Department. He continues to be active in educating the public about reproductive endocrinology and infertility issues through seminars and interviews in newspapers, magazines, television and radio. Dr. Mersol-Barg has also been voted by his peers to be one of Hour Magazine's "Top Docs".

On a personal note, Dr. Mersol-Barg has been married to Mary Jo Mersol-Barg since 1984, and they have four children: Michael Andrew, Amy Elizabeth, Kevin Todd and Ryan Patrick. Having an active family makes life exciting and full. Dr. Mersol-Barg has been thrilled to be a coach for Amy’s league winning softball team and Ryan's soccer team. He enjoys going on Boy Scout camping trips with Michael, Kevin and Ryan. Both Michael and Kevin are Eagle Scouts and Ryan is working hard to follow in his brothers' footsteps. The kids keep their father busy going to a variety of sporting events, plays and concerts throughout the year. Ryan and Dr. Mersol-Barg are taking drum lessons together, and Ryan enjoys the fact that he is doing much better than his dad! Ryan was born in 1998 after Mary Jo had several miscarriages, and he is his father’s daily joy. It’s this joyful feeling that Dr. Mersol-Barg wishes for anyone who currently experiences the frustration and heartbreak of infertility.

Dr. Mersol-Barg feels he is blessed to be able to make a difference in people’s lives by helping them to have a baby or by relieving a woman’s pain with advanced microsurgery and laser surgery techniques. He enjoys teaching and makes great efforts to review all records and to provide patients with as much information as possible so that there can be a partnership between patient and doctor. The goal of everyone at the Center is to provide individualized patient care in a private setting, while offering the most advanced, proven treatments available. This is the whole purpose for establishing the Center for Reproductive Medicine and Surgery.