Dr. James is one of the most arrogant, emotionally detached, and inappropriate doctors I have ever had. It has taken me over 3 years to muster up the courage to write this review.
I transferred to Dr. James after moving cities, based on a referral from a friend of a friend. I began seeing him midway through my pregnancy. At first, he seemed confident, maybe a little arrogant, but I told myself that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. He came recommended, and all I really cared about was that my baby would be in capable hands.
But things quickly started to unravel. He forgot who I was at every single appointment and handed me the same stack of paperwork each time, as if we'd never met. I tried to rationalize it, maybe the masks made it harder to recognize patients, maybe he was just busy, but over time it became clear: he wasn't trying. He never made the slightest effort to form a connection or acknowledge me as a person. I was just another chart to him.
If I had been able to transfer to another provider, I absolutely would have. But by the time the red flags started waving, I was too far along in my pregnancy to make a switch.
When I opened up about experiencing anxiety he dismissed it entirely. I was 23 years old and had not had a single friend go through pregnancy and I felt entirely alone in the experience and was just seeking some reassurance. He told me my anxiety "wasn't real" and flippantly referred me to his hypnotherapist. That response alone showed a complete lack of understanding or empathy for pregnant women's mental health.
At 37 weeks, he looked at me and said, "Look at you, you're huge," then casually mentioned a C-section would be necessary because my baby was "sunny side up." No explanation. No reassurance. Just blunt, unnecessary commentary that made me spiral. His bedside manner was short, condescending, and rude.
Thankfully, he didn't deliver my baby, and I went on to have a completely normal vaginal delivery. I will forever be grateful that someone professional was there for me during one of the most important moments of my life.
At my postpartum appointment, he made a disgusting comment about my bleeding, it grossed him out and he said "yuck, period blood" with visible disgust while looking at his fingers. Instead of offering basic professionalism, he acted immature, disgusted and judgmental. I was already feeling self conscious and grossed out by my own body.
Later, I became pregnant again when my son was 13 months old. We were overjoyed, but I miscarried. I asked to see a different doctor, but was told no one else was available for weeks. So I had to face Dr. James again.
It was a devastating experience, and his behavior made it worse in every possible way. He ignored the emotional weight of what I was going through. When he did the ultrasound, he said, "looks pretty empty to me." He followed it up by telling me how common it was in a condescending tone and invalidated every emotion I was feeling--which I was keeping all to myself. Just because it's a common experience doesn't mean it isn't painful, physically and emotionally. At the same appointment, I asked about non-hormonal birth control, as we were not ready to try again right away, and he made an inappropriate comment about using condoms, like it was a joke.
This man should not be in women's healthcare. He lacks empathy, tact, and any genuine ability to care for women in their most vulnerable stages of life. His behavior was not just unprofessional--it was demeaning, arrogant, callous and offensive.
What's most heartbreaking is how vulnerable I was in those moments--pregnancy, birth, postpartum, miscarriage--and how little compassion or professionalism he showed. If you are pregnant, postpartum, grieving, or looking for a doctor who will listen, support, and respect you--Dr. James is absolutely not that doctor. Pregnancy and loss are life-altering experiences. You deserve a provider who listens, validates, and supports you through all of it. This experience still haunts me 3.5 years later and I will unfortunately never forget it. This review reflects my personal experience and opinion. read more