Accepts 21+
We are excited to welcome Dr. Maria Meussling Schleicher back to VPFW in 2022! Some patients may remember Dr. Schleicher as Dr. Meussling from when she was part of the practice from 2008 – 2013, before she and her family moved to Cleveland. They are back in Richmond, and she is thrilled to return to VPFW where it feels like she is coming back to “her people.” Her partners at VPFW have always been supportive and her patients have always held such a special place in her heart. She’s excited to see everyone again!
The oldest child of a career US Navy family, Dr. Schleicher has three younger sisters, one of whom was a Marine and one of whom is currently in the Navy and recently moved back to Virginia from Guam. Their family moved a fair amount growing up, but her parents were able to keep them mainly in the Virginia Beach area as they got older.
Dr. Schleicher was the first person in her immediate and extended family to attend college. She lived at home during this time and worked 30 hours a week at a telecommunications company in order to afford the remainder of her tuition that was not covered by loans. Getting accepted into the University of Virginia Medical School was by far one of her greatest accomplishments, and she remembers sobbing with joy when she opened her acceptance letter.
In medical school, Dr. Schleicher was significantly involved in student government and was elected President of the entire student body as a 4th year. She helped to create the new curriculum which eliminated grades and minimized lectures in exchange for increased small groups, etc. It was progressive and cutting edge at the time (2000-2004)!
Dr. Schleicher received the best training during her OB/GYN residency at MCV/VCU Health System, and she is still reminded how grateful she is for her attending physicians there. She was selected to be the Administrative Chief Resident and fell in love with being a generalist.
While at VCU, Dr. Schleicher met her husband, Will Schleicher, and they recently celebrated their 12-year wedding anniversary. He is a plastic surgeon and is the most kind and compassionate person she knows. They moved to Cleveland, Ohio, for his fellowship, and during that time she had a very successful career as an academic OB hospitalist. They started a family in Cleveland and have two incredible children, Henry who is 7 and Annemarie who is 5. They also have a 1-year-old Golden Retriever, Zeus.
Dr. Schleicher adored teaching the next generation of OB/GYN residents at the Cleveland Clinic, but she and her husband missed their families and being home in Virginia. She’s grateful they moved back and that she gets to practice at VPFW again.
When not working, Dr. Schleicher is happily busy with activities with their kids, house, and yard projects, as well as visiting with loved ones. She was actually born in Buffalo, NY and still has lots of extended family there. As a consequence, she is a die-hard, heart-broken, Buffalo Bills fan. Her heart has also adopted all of the Cleveland sports teams, for better and worse.
To request an appointment with Dr. Schleicher, call us at 804-897-2100 or include Dr. Schleicher’s name in the Set an Appointment form.