Dr. David Lakey, M.D.

Dr. David Lakey, M.D. is an associate professor of medicine, Chief of Infectious Disease, and the medical director of the Center for Pulmonary and Infectious Disease Control at the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler. Dr. Lakey is also the Associate Director for Infectious Disease at the Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Preparedness, UT School of Public Health. Dr. Lakey obtained his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine with AOA honors, and trained in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Infectious Disease (Adult and Pediatric) at Vanderbilt University. He is board certified in both adult and pediatric infectious disease.

Dr. Lakey is involved in multiple issued concerning public health and biopreparedness. He is the vice chairman of the Board of Directors for the Northeast Texas Public Health District, the curriculum coordinator and Co-PI for the Health Resource and Service Administration (HRSA) funded Texas Statewide bioterrorism education (Texas BCE) grant, the bioterrorism advisor for the regional hospital preparedness funds, and the medical director and principal investigator for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and HRSA funded Public Health Laboratory of East Texas. Dr. Lakey also serves on the Texas Department State Health Service’s (TDSHS) Senior Academic Advisory Committee on Weapon’s of Mass Destruction task force, the TDSHS Continuing Education Committee, the University of Texas task force on public health, and the University of Texas Homeland Security task force.

During the fall of 2005 Dr. Lakey developed the medical and public health management plan for his community in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As part of this involvement, Dr. Lakey developed and managed the regional special needs shelter. This shelter, by necessity, began a full disaster hospital, caring for over 280 evacuees, including many requiring skilled nursing services. This shelter was classified by the United States Public Health Service as a best practice model.

Dr. Lakey is an editor of the AMA all hazards education course entitled Core Disaster Life Support, an author of the “Biologic Events” chapter of the AMA all hazards course entitled Basic Disaster Life Support, and the author and editor of the TDSHS and Texas BCE sponsored education program entitled “Recognizing and Responding to Bioterrorism and Other Public Health Emergencies.”