We Were Paying Off $700K in Student Loans. And Doing IVF at the Same Time. #480

SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show! We got married in our thirties. Started IVF in the middle of paying off $700,000 in student loan debt. And Nii was working locums shifts several states away — the very thing funding our fertility journey was also making it harder. This is the episode we've never been able to fully tell. Until now. **You'll hear:** → Why we got married later — and what that cost us biologically  → The rule we made when paying off debt (and how it complicated everything)  → IVF at $25,000 per round with no insurance coverage in Pennsylvania  → How locums income was our financial lifeline — and our biggest complication  → The appointments Renee attended alone while Nii was on the road  → What the IVF doctor said when Renee ovulated through her medications (and where Nii was) → Multiple rounds. None of them worked.  → How our boys came naturally — and the joke we make about their 529s  → 3 practical tips for physician couples navigating debt and fertility simultaneously **TEXT US**: Have you ever had to choose between your financial goals and starting your family? Tell us your story. **1-833-230-2860** We read every message. **3 PRACTICAL TIPS FROM THIS EPISODE:** 1\. Know your state's IVF insurance laws before you choose where to live or work. Some states mandate insurance coverage for IVF (NJ, NY, MA, IL, and others). Pennsylvania did not cover us at the time. This is a factor worth researching — especially if you're in your thirties or planning to start a family. 2\. Have the fertility conversation with your partner before you need it. Don't wait until you're in the middle of debt payoff to find out you need IVF. Talk to a reproductive specialist early. Get your baseline numbers. If you're a woman in medicine who wants children — consider freezing your eggs earlier rather than later. 3\. Build your financial plan around your whole life — not just your debt. Your financial plan needs to account for more than the numbers. Build in the fertility timeline. Build in the family goals. Build in the geographic constraints. And if locums is part of your debt payoff plan — decide how far is too far before you take the assignments. Not after. Find us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@docsoutsidetheboxpodcast **RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:**  Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them outhttp://www.locumstory.com/HERE! Resolve Website - https://resolve.org/ **FREE DOWNLOAD:**  Download the First-Gen Doctor Blueprint — everything we wish someone had told us about finances, career planning, and building a life in medicine. Visit: https://darkos.lpages.co/first-gen-physicians/ Have a question for the podcast? - Send us a Voice Message: https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidethebox - Text us: 833-230-2860 - DM us on Instagram: @docsoutsidethebox - Email: team@drniidarko.com **ABOUT DOCS OUTSIDE THE BOX:**   We're Nii and Renee — first-generation doctors (Ghanaian and Haitian) who didn't have physician parents to guide us. We paid off $700K in student loans, went through multiple rounds of IVF, and learned everything the hard way. This podcast is the blueprint we wish we'd had. DISCLAIMER: Dr. Nii and Dr. Renee are physicians, not financial advisors or attorneys. Content shared in this podcast reflects personal experience and should not be considered financial, legal, or medical advice. Please consult qualified professionals before making financial or career decisions. © 2026 Docs Outside the Box. All rights reserved.