Dr. Woods chose to become a physician because he sought a career that centered around serving others. He specialized in gastroenterology because it is a practice that combines procedural skills with meaningful patient interaction.

For Dr. Woods, the most rewarding aspect of his job is finding solutions to problems for patients. If he were not a doctor, he said that he would have gravitated towards a service-related occupation.

“Many patients have taught me about courage and grace as they have battled grave illnesses,” he said.

Outside of his medical practice, Dr. Woods and his wife, Susan, place an emphasis on serving their church, as they attend Fayetteville First Baptist Church. They also support nonprofit organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Association, and Project Open Hand.

In his spare time, Dr. Woods enjoys fishing, traveling, and attending sporting events. Dr. Woods and his family have made it their goal to visit all of the major league baseball parks in the country. So far, they have been to about 15.

Dr. Woods and his wife have been married for 39 years and have two adult sons. Both sons are Auburn graduates and are happily married.  But their greatest joy is being Poppy and Grammy.

“They are the reason,” Dr. Woods said, “why I try my best every day!”