Dr. Vivian J. Woodard
 

Our Dr. Eburuche that we have been seeing for 8 yrs. has relocated. We have been referred to Dr. Vivian J. Woodard. Has anyone had any experience with this Dr.? I would appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

I went and got travel shots as well as a shingles shot from her....no problems. She graduated Harvard Medical School which I imagine was no small feat but not certain I personally would go to her for my everyday medical care. NO particular reason, other to say I like to develop a repoire with my doctor and not certain I could with her.

i'm sure she is very competent, but she advertises herself as a Christian family doctor, and there are numerous Christian/religious references in the waiting room and throughout the office. I personally found this to be a turnoff. I realize others might find this to be a plus!

Sounds like prejudice to me. I wonder if it would be the same "turnoff" if she were wearing a burka or were wearing a Star of David pendant necklace.

That's interesting. Being a Christian, I guess it wouldn't bother me. I see a Dr here in TV that has a lot of Buddist stuff all over and that doesn't bother me. I see another one who's waiting room is filled with junk...so much junk. Statues, fake flowers, tables and tables of books, magazines, literature, so much stuff. And it's dirty and dusty. Even a dog, yes a real dog wandering around the waiting room. ( the dog is the only thing I don't mind). Yup, I know it's probably illegal.

I went to Dr. Woodard when I first moved to The Villages in 2007. After three or four visits I called it quits because I never laid eyes on the doctor, even though I requested to at least meet her.

I sense Dr. Woodard is an exceptionally gifted person who earned great opportunities by overcoming great adversity......

From Orlando Sentinel article on her website:

"Woodard grew up in Tildenville, Fla., then a rural community in Winter Garden, Fla., where blacks, like her mother, eked out meager livings as maids.

As a child, Woodard developed an appetite for learning, devouring library books. She even learned Spanish by watching a Spanish soap opera.

“I wanted to learn Spanish, but we did have some competition for the single television set we had,” Woodard said of battles mostly with her mother.....

...She decided to become a scientist, but the child who had skipped ahead two grades found herself in remedial classes when she and other blacks were bused in the early `70s to Lakeview High School in Winter Garden.

A white science teacher went to bat for her, getting her assigned to college prep classes, taking her to science fairs, preparing her for the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

But a cousin who had grown up in poverty in Manatee County, Fla., was attending Harvard Medical School and persuaded Woodard to follow his path....."

See entire article here: Emmanuel Christian Health Center

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Around 4 years ago I went to the clinic to get a shingles shot. After I got the shot Dr. Woodward sat down with me for about 10 minutes as I recall. I felt that I was ripped off as I not only was charged for the shingles shot but also for a Drs. visit. I certainly didn't ask for a doctors visit, just the shingles shot.

John

She is my personal physician. VERY thorough, kind and takes her time. She listens to you and actually cares. She is also very smart and knows her stuff.

I personally find it comforting to have a physician with Christian beliefs.

The medical malpractice lawyers would make millions and laugh all the way to the bank if you had had a reaction to the vaccination which caused you to die or be in the hospital intensive care for 3 months, and the dr. had not gotten your history, allergies, contraindicated drugs, etc. to document, document, document in your chart there.

Maybe it would be enlightening to set up an appointment with a lawyer in which they actually provide a legal service (treatment, like a vaccination) for you, and see how much billable time that costs.

Wow!

Walgreens pharmacy gives the shingle shots and all you have to do is fill out a consent form.

https://www.walgreens.com/images/pdf...0172013_v1.pdf

Right. And the person who gives the shot at Walgreens or Target Pharmacy, in the event of a reaction and bad result for the patient, will be held to the standards required of them in the licensed position they are in, i.e. pharmacy technician.....while the physician in her practice as an MD will be held to the standards required of her as an MD.

I went to her for about 6 years. She is very smart & personable and really cares about you. Her only fault and the reason I finally left is that she is very slow because she takes her time with each patient.

As I posted on a previous thread, While vacationing in TV several yrs ago I needed a doctor. She was on a list of participating drs from my NE medical insurance co. I liked that she was an Internist and Harvard trained so I went. It was a wonderful experience, I found her to be professional, thorough and understanding. She reviewed the medical files I travel with and her staff quickly entered that data in her system. While I've only had to see her one other time; now that I'm a TV resident she will be my permanent GP. As far as the "Christian" thing, IMO that has no bearing on her medical ability. As far as I'm concerned she could be the devil in disguise, so long as she was a great doctor that's all that matters.

In FL it is the pharmacist who gives the shots - flu, shingles, pneumonia, etc. I believe it is the same in other states, and typically they take additional training to do this.

:BigApplause: Thanks for voicing my thoughts.

There is a difference between a simple unobtrusive pendant vs. numerous Biblical references hanging on the wall , bibles throughout the office and waiting room, etc.,etc., etc.I think religion is a personal thing, and as a non religious person I don't appreciate it all being being shoved in my face. As I said, her credentials are very good and I would expect her to be quite competent. I choose to go to a doctor that isn't overtly trying to send sort of religious message to the patient. I had a different doctor that made a point of expressing his political views in an attempt to convert me. I find that type of behavior inappropriate for the office. I don't care to have a doctor with an agenda. My preference.

I agree it's disturbing and even angering if a doctor or other professional "makes a point of expressing his political views in an attempt to convert" me.

However, that's quite different from having Christian quotes/verses on the wall and having Bibles on the waiting room tables. Those are there to look at, or not look at, just as a doctor's framed medical license, residency diploma, and medical diploma are there on the wall or might be listed in a brochure.

They are there to tell an interested looker/reader some of the main tenets and education/training that are a large part of the doctor's personal and professional formation.

I have had doctors/specialists from India and other foreign nations and my doctor I've had the longest is Jewish. If they have a Hindu or Jewish or other symbol or quote of wisdom/teaching on the wall, I don't get all offended and assume that they are trying to "convert" me, a Christian, to their religion.

Those things are there as illustrations of how they think and what they believe. It's a free country, and if a patient doesn't like what that person believes, the patient can choose to leave and go elsewhere.

So far, I've never thought about leaving my doctors because of their vastly different religious beliefs. I don't fear hearing/seeing opinions or beliefs that differ from mine. My mind can freely accept or decline to accept things that don't register with my beliefs or factual knowledge. That's the beauty of the human mind, unless it's been brainwashed.

On the other hand, if they speak political views in order to "convert" me, I hope I would learn a little more about them to know whether they were trying to "convert" me, or whether they are just expressing frustration with the way they cannot practice the way they were trained to do and want to do, due to the adversarial medico-legal climate, and the growing insurance/government bureaucratic control climate. They might speak those frustrations with politicians as a way of making it known they might soon quit practicing medicine altogether, because they've had it with the ruin they see going on.

But you do have to have a doctor's order.

When Dad got his shingles shot at Walgreens they did ask him to stay in store for about an hour to make sure he didn't have any type of reaction.

Drs. Chin and Harding, perhaps, with all the cat tchotkes? Or Dr. Hamnik? I felt a little suffocated in both offices due to the amount of clutter.

Do messy surroundings and a disheveled appearance necessarily indicate a disordered mind? Perhaps not, but running a clean, neat and orderly office is a sign of efficiency and indicates to me that care is being taken with details big and small.

I was dumped by eberuche and im not touching where my files were sent with a 10 ft pole. I have joined the villages health and it really looks good to me.

Not in NC, Gracie. But I won't swear to that in FL.

???

I'm not sure either.

NO, only $450 for wife and I.

Are you not medicare age? Our was very cheap with our doctor's order. I remember this discussion before.

Part of it is the extent of religious literature, symbols, paraphernalia, etc. displayed in the office. There was no way to avoid it. In my opinion it was way, way over the top, more than I've ever seen at a doctor's office. I declined to register it for the couple of visits I had to the office, but it really made me uncomfortable. She is certainly welcome to her views, as is anyone who has religious beliefs, but again, as a non-believer, I don't think that religion has a place in the doctor/patient relationship. Also by hawking all that Christianity, how does that make patients feel that are Muslim or some other denomination? Probably as uncomfortable as I feel. I think politics and religion are private. Anyways, just wanted to point out this aspect of her practice to the OP. I did exercise my right to choose, and chose another physician, who I really like. Strictly business, no politics or religion!

Yes medicare age. Walgreens said doesn't cover. Maybe with a doctors order it would be different?

I agree with much of this. I will say however, that many Christian (and maybe other religions) doctors/clinicians have Christian/religious symbols, magazines or whatever as a way of indicating they are willing to pray with and for the patient if the patient wants. Nothing more, nothing less.

And asking God for help is a good thing since all humans regardless of education/training, obviously, don't "know it all". It's always good to know one's limitations and there are lots of medical problems way beyond limits of science and the human mind.