Richard Auclair

Retired Obstetrician and Fertility Specialist

Richard Auclair, MD, built on his start at QCC to become a pioneer in the field of fertility, helping couples conceive through medical advances in the field.

He grew up in Shrewsbury was in the Air Force for four years before attending Quinsigamond Community College. He enjoyed attending the college as an older student, and became friends with many of his professors, according to his wife.

He was already interested in medicine and, along with working in his father’s construction business; he was working in a research lab as an assistant. After graduating from QCC in 1961, he attended Clark University and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

While building his private practice, Dr. Auclair spent at least one day a week volunteering giving free gynecological and breast exams at the Delray Clinic and Planned Parenthood. He educated patients to help them understand the links between sexual encounters, sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancies. Since retiring in 2000, he volunteered weekly treating gynecological patients at the Caridad Center for 14 years.

He was chairman of the OB/GYN Department at Bethesda Memorial Hospital and Chief of Surgery at Boca Raton Community Hospital, serving on many different committees and boards at both institutions. He was involved in early IVF research at Miami Medical School, working with patients who had trouble conceiving. He helped many couples conceive who thought they would not be able to have children.

He practiced as an OBGYN for more than 30 years in Florida, delivering the first in-vitro, or test-tube, baby in the state in 1985. The first IVF baby was born in Great Britain in 1978, followed by Australia in 1980 and the U.S. in 1981.

“He did a lot of work in the infertility field, which was new at that time,” said his wife, Rosemary Auclair. “He is very touched to be named a QCC Guardian, as that was the beginning of a long road to his education and his lifelong dream of becoming a physician.”

Later in his practice, he proactively introduced wellness concepts to his patients, which at the time was a unique idea, as most local physicians were practicing crisis management medicine, rather than preventive medicine.

He received a lifetime achievement award in 2012 from the Palm Beach Medical Society. He was honored by the Junior League of Boca Raton at the 2008 Chocolate Decadence event.  As a Community Sweetheart, Dr. Auclair was honored by the women of JLBR for the respect they’ve had for him over the years due to his quality and compassionate care, for his lasting contributions to the community, and the positive impact he has made through his service.

He and wife, Rosemary, still live in Florida. They have two daughters and one grandson.