When Dr. Shaffer had a dawning realization at age 12 that he might not inherit the job of center fielder for the San Francisco Giants from Willie Mays, his attention turned to what he considered the next best career, Internal Medicine. He attended Tulane University in New Orleans, then the Autonomous University of Guadalajara School of Medicine. He completed his medical school education at the University of Arizona School of Medicine in Tucson before moving to Cleveland, Ohio for the internship year in Internal Medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. He found Cleveland a bit chilly, and therefore moved with Houston native wife, Pamela, and Guadalajara native cat, Mia, to sunny Houston. Dr. Shaffer toiled away the next three years in the medical center, completing a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas at Houston. He became Board Certified in Internal Medicine in 1994, and is proud to mention that he re-certified in 2004.
Dr. Shaffer has participated in numerous medical research trials, mostly involving Diabetes and Hypertension. He has developed numerous medical interests, and has focused a great deal of attention on Heart Attack Prevention and Diabetes Prevention, (so please don’t get too annoyed with him when he lectures you for the thousandth time about nutrition and exercise). He has also received additional training in the medical treatment of Menopause with Bio Identical Hormone Replacement, and delights in helping women overcome the difficulties of this condition.
Dr. Shaffer has a beautiful wife and two lovely girls, and has made spending time with them a high priority. Alas, he has ever more time to devote to career pursuits now that the daughters are teenagers and seem to notice him mainly when they need a few bucks.
Dr. Shaffer played rugby in college, and has stayed active since. His current passion is running, which he does devotedly, if a bit slowly. He has completed several marathons, but raise this topic with him at your peril, as he is easily induced into ranting on about the joys of running. He has become quite enamored of the “runner’s high”.
His civic activities include a stretch on his neighborhood Homeowner’s Association. He also very proudly served on the Medical Executive Committee at the Methodist Hospital in Sugarland from 1998 until 2006