Roland David Shepard, MD

Dr. Shepard truly saved my life one time and on another visit, he diagnosed me correctly (where other doctors could not figure out what was going on with me as I could not function normally, was unable to hold my bowels, and lost 22 pounds in 5 weeks!). This doctor truly cares about his patients, he spends time listening and examining a patient while all along is an expert in his field. When I walked in with sharp abdominal pain in 2020, within 5 minutes he realized I was having an appendix episode, he referred me to a specialist and called their office letting them know to expect me and that afternoon I had surgery. Amazing! And Thank you Dr. Shepard. A couple of years prior I had walked in with lymphocytic colitis which he diagnosed right away and treated me for it within 24 hours. I was totally healed. I had lost 22 pounds and had been experiencing embarrassing episodes of inability to hold my bowels. Dr. Shepard truly gave me my quality of life back in the summer of 2018. My… husband and I both have gone to Dr. Shepard for more than 10 years for routine colonoscopies with great success. His staff is efficient and kind. His office is clean and centrally located. We could not ask for a better gastroenterologist than Dr. Shepard.

I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Shepard and his team. He is simply amazing, upfront and has a gentle demeanor that puts you at ease. Dr. Shepard is very knowledgeable in his field and always listens to my concerns. He is quite thorough in his medical explanations and in giving me treatment options. Also, the front desk staff and nurse, Gabi, are excellent and very sweet. Recently I had to go to the Florida medical Clinic for a procedure and I was blown away. The staff is truly amazing! The nurses were so kind and helpful. The whole experience was first class. They made me feel cared for from the moment they called me in until my discharge. I highly recommend Dr. Shepard and the nurses at the Florida Medical Clinic. I would not go to anyone else!

Dr. S not only is an accomplished, very experienced GE, but he truly cares for his patients. We're relatively new to Tampa and my wife and I each needed to see a GE, her for a routine scope, and me for more complex issues. We had our intro, new patient visit a few weeks back and found Dr. S to be patient and inquisitive indicating to me he truly wanted to understand everything he could about our physical history and conditions. We then scheduled scopes a few weeks out, and thought we'd next interact with him then. Unfortunately, about a week and 1/2 later my wife and I went to an ER as she was experiencing severe abdominal pain. I called the office just to let them know we went to the ER for abdominal issues. At the ER they decided the gallbladder (GB) needed to come out but it was not urgent so it would have to be scheduled. ER rec. a surgeon we could make an appt. with and sent us home. As we were driving home we got a call from his office asking how we were. I told them… about the outcome and asked if they had any advice or recommendations for a surgeon. The office staff recommended a surgeon whose office I called and was at first told that Dr. could not see my wife for several weeks. When I then mentioned I'd been referred by his office I got a call back within 5 minutes that the surgeon could see my wife in a few days and I scheduled the appt. And then the next day, to my surprise, I got a call from Dr. S. to whom I'd explained everything done at the ER. He recommended and put in orders for a more thorough scan of my wife's GB, which provided invaluable info to the surgeon. We met with the surgeon Wed. and he removed her GB Friday in a 3 hour operation (which typically takes an hour), and he only knew he was going to have a more complicated situation because of the insight of Dr. S to order the additional scan! Additionally, Dr. S called this morning to check in on how she was doing...to me, this speaks volumes to his character and how he approaches medicine. IMO, Dr. S exemplifies the type of person and professional every Dr. should aspire to. So, in close, if you want a GE that will truly care about you as a patient, look no further.

First review Ive ever written and its solely Because Dr. Shepard has proven he is the most caring physician I’ve ever encountered. Ive been dealing with CDiff for over a year and was desperate!! From the first visit, dr. Shepard made it very clear that he would never give up trying to help me and made himself available in emergency situations. After A fecal transplant procedure, my overall symptoms improved tremendously. Because I had been on two prior treatments of vancomycin my stomach has taken a while to recover but it is definitively much better five months later. Dr. Shepard is a very caring individual which is extremely rare these days, especially for a physician. PLEASE- if you are suffering from CDF and don’t want to go through extensive traumatic heavy duty anabiotic cycles, go see Dr. Shepard.

I'm a relatively new patient of Dr. Shepard. After just a couple of meetings, he was able to prescribe medication that has gone 90% of the way toward resolving a gastroenterological syndrome I have had almost all of my adult life. I had been to a number of gastroenterologists previously, but none of them came up with the solution he found. Dr. Shepard listens carefully and explains things clearly and thoroughly. I have never had to wait for more than a few minutes in his office before he is available. I highly recommend him as a great doctor in his area of specialty.

Dr. Sheppard SAVED MY LIFE. If it was not for his exceptional treatment I would be in and out of the hospital every two weeks. I suffered from severe gastrointestinal issues. After seeing him I have not been hospitalized since. He suggested using Kratom red which has been a life saver. I use 1/4 teaspoon twice daily and it has been a game changer in my life. I would recommend everyone to see him. He will change your outlook on life. Thank you Dr. Sheppard!!

I don't really write reviews but Dr Shepard deserves one! I was in my early 20's when I had a LOT of pain to the point I couldn't eat, I was having accidents, scared to go out because I was embarrassed because who knew how my body could take it. No doctor was able to diagnose me for almost a year. I finally was referred to Dr Shepard by my grandma and I met with him for a very short time, he was very caring and interested in my situation and right away he was extremely confident he knew what the issue was and scheduled me for my procedures. After my procedures were done it was confirmed he was correct I have Colitis and he prescribed me these amazing pills that work SO well and I was able to get my life back. He loves his patients, makes you feel valued - he even gave me his personal cell to reach him to ask questions. I recommend him to everyone and he's helped a lot of my friends

For 20 years I have suffered from chronic diarrhea. My vegus never was inadvertently severed I have seen some of the top gastroenterologists in the country I highly recommend Dr Shepard, he helped me get my life back. In addition he is kind and professional

I'm a long time sufferer of IBS, who has seen a lot of doctors over the years. I can honestly say that none have helped me get control of the condition as well as Dr. Shepard. He really takes the time to engage with and listen to his patients, and provide practical advice and assistance. At present, a lot remains unknown about the causes of IBS or how to cure it. But Dr. Shepard has been incredibly helpful at offering suggestions and ideas to better manage it, and I'm feeling better than I've felt in years.

Since 1993, I have had multiple complications with several autoimmune diseases, including Crohn’s Disease. While my Crohn’s was somewhat controlled, another doctor believed that my other complications were likely stemming from the gut. He suggested I see Dr. Shepard and shared a bit more about his unique approach. Within seconds of meeting Dr. Shepard, I knew I had found my GI for life. Sounds dramatic....but after 25 years...I just knew. He didn’t just listen to me. He *heard* me. He gave me homework. He actually wanted me to consider the options he presented and get back to him with *my* thoughts. He respected my input, addressed my questions and mapped out a plan. A year later, the progression of my disease seems to have stalled. I know that this dramatic turn is due to Dr. Shepard’s very unique protocol and prescriptions. I have never felt this healthy for such a long span of time. While my other doctors are scratching their heads, Dr. Shepard is continuing to blaze courageous new… trails in treatments and care. There are simply not enough ways to say “Thank you” to Dr. Shepard and his staff.