Dr. Woodford received his medical degree from Howard University. A flight surgeon during World War II, he had a private practice for 15 years. In 1960, he was appointed chief of medicine at St. Joseph's Memorial Hospital and was later named chief of staff.
He became a partner in the Kaiser Southern California Permanente Medical Group in 1970 and was the first in that group to be certified as a specialist by the American Board of Family Practice.
He is a charter member of the World Medical Association.