Dr. LaPook is a board-certified physician in internal medicine and gastroenterology. He has been an associate attending physician for New York-Presbyterian Hospital since 2001. Before that, he served as an assistant attending physician (1986-2001) and an assistant physician (1985-1986) for the hospital. Dr. LaPook has also been an associate clinical professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center since 2001 and was promoted to clinical professor of medicine there in April 2012. Prior to that, he was an assistant professor of clinical medicine (1986-2001) and an instructor in clinical medicine (1985-1986) at Columbia University.

LaPook has done extensive work in the field of medical computing, including helping to develop an electronic textbook of medicine and writing a medical practice management software package that he sold in 1999 to a company that was later acquired by Emdeon Corporation, the parent company of WebMD. He has contributed commentaries to WebMD. Dr. LaPook is a member of several professional organizations and is a widely published author.

LaPook continues as a practicing physician.

Born in Mineola, N.Y., LaPook was graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in biology and with honors from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1980 with an M.D. He completed a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in gastroenterology at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. LaPook lives in New York City with his wife and two sons.

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