After more than 30 years of experience in the treatment of addiction, you’d think Dr. Sherman Master may be slowing down a bit, but once you meet him, his energy and dedication to his craft quickly become evident.
With a passion for working with professionals, Dr. Master feels the rewards can be greater for the professional patient because there is often more at stake.
“Treating a professional can be tougher because they are usually more sophisticated in their defense systems, therefore it is harder for them to break the cycle of denial,” Dr. Master said. “But, the prognosis is often more hopeful too. They tend to have so much to lose, and many have the advantage of monitoring systems in place.”
Currently serving as interim assistant medical director for the Farley Center at Williamsburg Place, the center has benefited from Dr. Master’s skill and experience many times over the years, as he has periodically served in the role of interim psychiatrist, performing outpatient assessments.
When asked what he sees as the most dramatic changes in the industry over the past 30 years, one of the things Dr. Masters cites is the emergence and importance of aftercare programs.
After serving as medical director for several facilities, including what is the now VCU Health Systems and Virginia Monitoring (the first sole provider for evaluation and monitoring of all healthcare providers in Virginia), Dr. Master was medical director of Tucker Pavilion at HCA’s Chippenham Medical Center for more than 15 years.
Dr. Master has received a myriad of awards during his career, most recently receiving the Distinguished Service award from the Virginia Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors, and the Medical Professional Award from the Carron Foundation.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, Dr. Master received his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia. He describes himself as an avid sports fan, playing lacrosse during his years as a student at UVA.
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