The REI Handbook that many Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility physicians rely on today traces back to the vision of Dan Lebovic. While on faculty at the University of Michigan shortly after completing fellowship, Lebovic noticed that the Oncology division had a compact spiral-bound guide for residents. At the time, he was studying for his REI oral board exam and saw an opportunity to create something similar for his own specialty — a concise, practical handbook that could serve both as a board study aid and an everyday clinical reference.
Lebovic approached fellow UCSF alum John Gordon, who had published the well-known OBGYN “Red Book” through his publishing company, Scrub Hill Press. Gordon agreed to expand his niche publishing platform to include an REI-focused handbook for clinicians. Lebovic authored all of the chapters for the first edition, working closely with Gordon and his UCSF mentor, Rob Taylor, who edited the book and provided critical feedback. The first edition was published in 2005.
A second edition followed in 2013, incorporating significant updates, new figures, and revised text reflecting advancements in the field. Plans for a third edition were complicated when Scrub Hill Press closed due to the financial strain of COVID-era printing costs. Gordon subsequently sold the Red Book to Wolters Kluwer and advocated for the REI Handbook to be included in the transition. The publisher agreed, paving the way for a new chapter in the handbook’s evolution.
During development of the third edition, Gordon stepped back from editorial leadership. Lebovic then recruited a trusted former mentee from his Michigan years, Molly Moravek, to serve as co-editor alongside Taylor. Tragically, Taylor passed away in January 2024, just days after completing edits on two chapters for the third edition — a profound personal and professional loss.
“Nearly every OB-GYN physician and resident has relied on the ‘OB-GYN Red Book’ to survive residency and thrive beyond it. Dr. Dan Lebovic helped build the REI version in parallel — and even in today’s digital world, it still stands tall as an essential guide,”
Kenan Omurtag, MD, Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.
Dr. Omurtag first met Dr. Lebovic during his residency at Emory University School of Medicine, when Dr. Rob Taylor introduced the two, noting their shared interests and approach to academic medicine — a small-world connection that ultimately proved to be a meaningful addition to Lebovic’s recruitment to WashU Medicine in St. Louis.
Throughout all three editions, Lebovic intentionally involved junior colleagues in the review process, inviting them to examine chapters for errors or omissions and crediting them within the book. For the third edition, numerous new collaborators contributed, including several who authored entirely new chapters. All submissions were carefully reviewed and edited by Lebovic to ensure a consistent voice and practical tone across the text.
By the summer of 2025, the third edition was in its final stages of editing, and it was officially published in November 2025. The handbook remains rooted in Lebovic’s original mission: to create a highly practical, day-to-day clinical resource. As he often notes, he still turns to its pages regularly in his own practice — exactly what it was always meant to be.
| 1st Edition | 2nd Edition | 3rd Edition |
| 2005 | 2013 | 2025 |