Shamblaw David, MD

I am very happy with the entire staff. I like the built in lab and the way they treat my daughter when we come.

Trying to make an appointment and getting one of the staff to return a call isn’t easy. A very affable human being but… The staff definitely needs better training!

I and my family are very fortunate to have him. And the office staff are great at patient care and making the impossible possible.

I moved back to San Diego last November and needed to find a new doctor. Not an easy task. and not one that I enjoy doing. I had Kaiser for years and was used to seeing whatever dr was available. I took to Unilocal ans searched for local primary doctors in my area (Bankers Hill) and I found Dr. Shamblaw. I saw that he had excellent reviews and was super close to home.
I made an appointment and was able to get in quickly. His staff was friendly and Dr Shamblaw couldn’t be nicer! He took his time getting to know me and answered all of my questions without making me feel stupid or rushed. He made me feel very comfortable! He even gave me free samples of nexium!
Most impressive is the dr. called me himself to give me my test results (all normal)…what other dr does that? None that I have met.
I would highly recommended Dr. Shamblaw. You won’t be disappointed.

I have been a patient of Dr Shamblaw for years and he is a fantastic doctor and would not consider going anywhere else. He and his staff are friendly, efficient and very organized. I can see the doctor, get blood drawn and be on my way in less than 30 minutes every time.

Let me start off by saying Dr. Shamblaw is a personable man, and one of the few out gay doctors in San Diego. He was referred to me by a gay doctor I had in Phoenix before moving to San Diego. I went to David Shamblaw for about 3.5 years. However, in that time period Doctor Shamblaw decided TWICE to stop taking my insurance policies. Which happens, except you’d expect your doctor to at least notify you before performing service. So I changed my insurance policy once based on their exact recommendation regarding which policies they take and which one was the easiest for them to work with, while paying their bill for service that was performed in the months prior BEFORE they even notified me they were no longer honoring my policy. Fast forward another year, and Dr. Shamblaw’s office is yet again asking me to pay for TWO more appointments, having declined to let me know over the course of several months that they made «a business decision» to stop taking the new policy that they encouraged me to switch to. David their billing administrator was very rude to me refusing to let me speak or ask very many questions, impossible to talk with over the phone or in person, even after directly and blatantly admitting to me that they had made the decision to stop taking my policy well before those appointments were even completed. He put all responsibility on me to check coverage before every appointment and claimed they didn’t have the time to notify all patients. Sorry, that isn’t my full time job… it’s yours, and your office is small. Almost 4 years of «business» to Dr. Shamblaw and in the end I was nothing more than a dollar sign. It’s for the best we parted ways. Someone else posted a pic of the sign they have about Xanax in every room, and they will tell you there is no value whatsoever to it… when I saw a therapist for an anxiety disorder he was shocked Dr. Shamblaw had me on SSRIs for this which are not officially even approved for the condition, and questioned Dr. Shamblaw’s true motive and lack of knowledge for not having me on the appropriate medication (Xanax) and being so aggressively against this medication for anyone whatsoever. Add to that getting an HIV test and before even getting the results, my pharmacy calls me the next day to say they have my HIV medication filled and ready for pickup… well I was negative, and they sent the wrong prescription in to my pharmacy and I got little more than a casual «we made a mistake» response.

My partner recommends this doctor.

I was in need of a new PCP as I recently moved here and read many excellent reviews on here. The reviews were on point! Dr. Shamblaw took his time to get to know my medical history and what if any treatment was needed for the future. He made suggestions and even offered referrals if I needed them for other specialists. The staff is extremely friendly and got me in for an appointment within a week. The wait to see the doctor was minimal, few minutes. Easy parking and convenient as I live downtown. I wouldn’t see any other doctor now.

Once again, I have Unilocalers to thank for a GREAT experience. this time with a doctor (gasp!). A recent move, a change in insurance, and disgruntlement with the doctor I’d been with for some time all prompted me to take the plunge and get a new doctor. I Unilocaled on Sunday, called on Monday, and saw the doctor on Thursday… not Thursday of the next week or month or year. The Thursday just THREE DAYS LATER. This was a VERY good sign. The next good sign was the office itself… not a sterile medical complex with paid parking. Just a nice low-​rise office building in Bankers Hill with plenty of metered street parking. And, the office was on the first floor to boot. The next good sign was a short (15 min) wait to be ushered into the office and just another 5 minutes before Dr. Shamblaw introduced himself. He’s super nice, knowledgable (and, on this particular day, teaching a medical student), and low key. I just about hugged him when he told me the lab for blood work was in the room next to the one I was sitting in. Got my blood drawn in less than 5 minutes and was told the results would be up the next day on the Patient Portal. How many good signs is that? I think it’s safe to say, they all point to an excellent doctor who truly cares about his patients.

This guy is great! From the start he was non judgmental about anything I had to say or needed treatment for. I have no complaints about his staff or office. He gets refills done quick when I need them and most of the time I don’t have to go into the office to pick up my scrips. One of the few doctors that saves paper and is helpful at finding the most cost effective ways of getting me my medication. Whenever I see him he makes certain that we touched all bases and nothing else can be done with the current visit.
After seeing him for nearly 6 or 7 years, I had a life changing event and he takes even more time just to listen and make sure that he is providing the best care possible and by spending the extra minute, he once again will make sure that there isn’t anything more he can do to make my life better.
Although he does take insurance, he doesn’t rush like most doctors to the 6 patients an hour that is required for most doctors accepting insurance. If something requires more time and attention, he will make time to help. He makes me feel comfortable about talking about even the most embarrassing issues and dealing with the situation in the most dignified manner.
Finally, when he doesn’t know exactly the right treatment he will refer to someone that is more knowledgeable in the field that the ailment requires. We see things the same way about drugs, meaning less is more. He doesn’t have that mentality that «there isn’t anything my prescription pad cannot cure». It’s more of a less drugs is healthier in the long run. Plus, his signage inside every room is great. Check the pictures! So those people «shopping» for doctors this isn’t your guy for getting your fix he’s a doctor, not a drug pusher/​dealer.
All in all, I’d recommend Dr. Shamblaw as a solid base for health care for anybody. Solid GP/​Family MD.
Side note: sorry it took 6+ years to write my review.

Chose this doctor for the great Unilocal reviews and I have not been disappointed. Dr Shamblaw is one of the best GPs I have ever had. He takes the time to listen to what you have to say and I never feel like appointments are rushed. I had a bad reaction to a medication I was on and I phoned the office at 3.30pm on a Friday and he called me back personally before the end of the day to discuss with me. I have also found it really easy to get appointments within a couple of days, if you really need to be seen they will see you same day. Would definitely recommend.

Dr. Shamblaw is a terrific guy. He has gone out of his way for me on several occasions and his staff is pretty swell too. I have referred friends to him who also rave about him. You can’t do better for a great GP. Plus, he’s near Extraordinary Desserts, so you can reward yourself after your appointment!

I am SO happy I found Dr. Shamblaw. I want him to be my primary care physician for life. His front office staff is helpful beyond measure and kind. The in-​office lab is fast, efficient and painless. Dr. Shamblaw himself is genuine, compassionate, helpful, a wonderful listener and very accommodating. When I called the office of a doctor recommend to me by my insurance, I asked if the Dr was kind and open-​minded. The woman quickly whispered, «No, but have you heard of Dr. Shamblaw? He has a great reputation and everyone loves him!» I would recommend Dr. Shamblaw to anyone without hesitation.

been seeing him for a couple years now since i was reffered from a friend, so glad i found him. very prompt and he puts thought and time into everything he does. he personally calls me with results. a gem of a doctor.

Today was my complete physical appointment. I checked in. Did not have any paperwork to fill out today. I was seen promptly within 10 minutes upon arrival. Dr. Shamblaw was extremely thorough. He spent a good 15 minutes on his examination. I was very impressed with the in-​house lab. Very convenient for patients to not have to be shipped to another location for labwork. I was out in 30 minutes as promised! Very happy with today’s visit!

Dr. Shamblaw has been my primary care physician for quite a few years. I have had a few doctors and can say without hesitation that he is the best. He doesn’t rush you through appointments, takes time to answer questions, and is very knowledgeable. The staff in the office (shared with Dr. Gary Woodall) are consistently professional and helpful — both over the phone and in-​person. Scheduling has never been a problem, and I’ve always had good experiences with his referrals to other doctors/​specialists (e.g. a dermatologist, oral surgeon).

I’ve been going here for years. Recently, I had some back pain and the doctor made time to see me immediately… Honestly, this doctor and his staff are nothing short of top notch. I highly recommend this office to all my friends and Unilocalers!

This is the best doctor in town. He’s compassionate, knowledgeable, and runs a great practice. I’ve been going to him for about 7 years. He’s been able to get me in to see him as soon as I need if I asked. The receptionist are nice and they all work very hard.

I have been in SD for about a year now and found Dr Shamblaw he has been great! His staff is friendly and responsive and they are quick to get back with refill requests.
The best part is if you need lab work done they have a lab in the office!
Dr Shamblaw is very friendly and speaks to you in English not medical jargon that is impossible to understand!

Dr. Shamblaw went out of his way to take care of me although his staff had not allowed enough time. I’m not sure he and his staff is always on the same wavelength. He says one thing and on one visit two staff said something VERY different about the same issue. What is that about? Does he provide office leadership, training, management? How often do they meet as a team? When medical forms have been copied a hundred times, they don’t look professional. That said, the staff was reasonably friendly and efficient and I would return.