Donald Apakama, MD, MS

Dr. Donald (DJ) Apakama Jr. (He/Him/His) is a pioneering figure at the intersection of Emergency Medicine, Artificial Intelligence, and Human Health. Currently, he serves as an Assistant Professor at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and the Mount Sinai Hospital, where he has established himself as a leading force in leveraging data science to improve healthcare outcomes.

Dr. Apakama pursued his medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, earning his M.D. with a distinction in clinical research. He completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, where he also served as Chief Resident. Committed to advancing his knowledge at the nexus of healthcare and data science, upon graduation he completed a T-32 Clinical Research Fellowship and is currently completing an M.S. in Biomedical Informatics at Oregon Health and Science University.
Dr. Apakama's professional accolades, which include being an NIH Diversity Supplement and a Mount Sinai Biomedical Laureates Awardee, underscore his dedication to excellence and diversity in healthcare.

Beyond his clinical excellence, Dr. Apakama's research focus on the social determinants of health (SDOH) and their impact on minority populations has garnered him international recognition. His innovative approach, utilizing Natural Language Processing and Large Language Modeling, aims to unveil links between social needs and adverse patient outcomes, making significant strides toward reducing health disparities. Additionally, Dr. Apakama's current research is exploring the use of LLMs for the extraction of negative descriptors in electronic medical records (EMRs) to better understand and address the social factors impacting patient outcomes. As a mentor, educator, and researcher, he is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of medical professionals, particularly advocating for the representation of BIPOC doctors. Continuing his mission to educate and innovate, Dr. Apakama recently launched “STAT AI: an Emergency Medicine Podcast” alongside colleague Dr. Ethan Abbott, where they explore the dynamic intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Emergency Medicine, bringing cutting-edge discussions to the forefront of medical and public discourse. STAT AI is available on all major platforms.