Cynthia L. Shepherd, MD, is board-certified in medical oncology, hematology and internal medicine. The Watkinsville native’s goal through years of medical school, residency and subspecialty training was to return home and provide expert cancer care to people in the community she loves. She joined UCBC in August 2011 after three years of clinical work treating all types of cancer at Vanderbilt-Ingram NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. During her fellowship she obtained additional subspecialty training in treatments for breast cancer. Her research interests range from clinical trials of the newest cancer therapies to published works such as examining the evolving role of B-Raf inhibitors in the therapy of malignant melanoma (Current Oncology Report, 2010).
Medicine is a family profession for Dr. Shepherd: her identical twin sister Elizabeth Johnson, MD is an internal medicine physician and her husband, Brad Shepherd, MD is a gastroenterologist – both in Athens, GA. Dr. Shepherd is a summa cum laude microbiology graduate of the University of Georgia. She earned her medical degree, graduating at the top of her class, from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Following her internship and residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, she was named Hugh Jackson Morgan Chief Resident for the year prior to her fellowship in hematology and medical oncology. She was also chief fellow in hematology and medical oncology at Vanderbilt during her final year of fellowship.
Dr. Shepherd currently is an attending physician at Athens Regional Medical Center, Landmark Hospital and St. Mary’s Healthcare System in Athens, and consulting physician at Stephens County Hospital in Toccoa and Habersham Medical Center in Demorest. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Georgia Health Science University. Dr. Shepherd holds memberships in the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Society of Hematology (ASH), Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa. She is also a Clinical Assistant Professor with Georgia Regents University.
Dr. Shepherd is a proud Athenian and is married to her high school sweetheart, Dr. Brad Shepherd, who is a gastroenterologist in Athens. She is a twin, an avid UGA fan, a recreational athlete, and has a competitive personality. She loves traveling and being active in any way she can, whether it’s tennis, golf, pickle ball, or exercising as a proud member of Transfit gym. She admits that cooking isn’t her strong suit, but her husband makes up for that at home! She is a mother to two wonderful children. Her daughter is a very passionate and talented gymnast. Her son is passionate about sports but hasn’t found his favorite yet; he has a genetic condition that has led to countless hours of research and time spent with doctors and therapists, not only in Georgia, but all over the country. His accomplishments, day-to-day and year-to-year, are something that gives Dr. Shepherd great pride and many of her patients also rejoice in his inspirational progress.
