David Apple Jr.

David Apple, Jr., M.D., served as medical director of Shepherd Center from the hospital’s opening in 1975 until 2005 and now holds the position of medical director emeritus.

Education and training

University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine
Residency, Orthopaedic Surgery, 1966-1969

Morehouse School of Medicine
Residency, Surgery, 1963-1964

Emory University School of Medicine
Internship, 1962-1963

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Medical School, 1962

Certifications

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery

About

Dr. David Apple earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia in 1958, where he served as president of the College of Arts and Sciences and chairman of the Honor Council. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1962.

Certified in orthopedic surgery, Dr. Apple is recognized as an expert in spinal cord injury. He has authored numerous articles on caring for spinal cord-injured patients and holds academic appointments at Emory University and Georgia State University. From 1964 to 1966, he served in the United States Air Force, acting as chief of surgery from 1965 to 1966.

As the first Medical Director of Shepherd Center, Dr. Apple considers the hospital’s most significant contributions to be its three-pronged approach to rehabilitation: excellent patient care, professional and public education, and comprehensive training for treatment team professionals. This approach has enabled Shepherd Center to treat many patients and contribute to nationally based research.

Reflecting on his career, Dr. Apple finds it rewarding to witness Shepherd Center’s growth from a six-bed unit to a facility with 152 beds and over 1,300 employees. The community’s support in expanding both physically and programmatically has been particularly gratifying for him.

Dr. Apple’s civic contributions include serving as director of the Home Rehabilitation Service for the Easter Seal Center, and as a member of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross and the Lovett School. In the summer of 1996, he co-chaired the doping committee for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and served as chief medical officer of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games. He was also the team physician for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks for 30 years.

Dr. Apple has received numerous accolades, including the ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 and the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has held leadership positions in many national and regional medical societies and associations, including the presidency of the American Spinal Injury Association, Georgia Orthopaedic Society, the Society of Physicians of the National Basketball Association, and the Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Association, which he founded.

He continues to serve on the Board of Directors of Shepherd Center and has been the principal investigator on many grants focused on spinal cord injuries. Dr. Apple and his wife, Jane, have four children.