Joseph Lapinsky, D.O.

Dr. Joseph Lapinsky, D.O., developed an interest in healthcare as a child. While driving him to soccer practice, his mother would share her experiences as an operating room nurse. As a teenager, he was inspired to shadow multiple physicians and work as an O.R. nursing attendant.

Dr. Lapinsky graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, and a minor in microbiology. Upon graduating from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, he completed a residency in internal medicine. He received a fellowship in nephrology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where he could pursue both of his passions: science and math.

“Nephrology has math and science together,” Dr. Lapinsky explains. “It’s probably one of the most math-heavy specialties in medicine. There are different layers to nephrology that make it intriguing, such as electrolyte disorders and acid-base problems.”

Dr. Lapinsky enjoys working with primary glomerular diseases and intrinsic kidney diseases. A pivotal case in his career was treating a young patient with lupus nephritis who was in a wheelchair and had limited mobility.

“I saw her a month and a half later, and she looked young and healthy,” says Dr. Lapinsky. “Her skin was different, she was gaining weight, and walking around. Making a difference in someone's life is very rewarding.”

Dr. Lapinsky and his family moved to Savannah from Pennsylvania, where they are enjoying coastal living. He and his wife, Beth, met in high school and now have two daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys doing arts and crafts with his children, roasting coffee, running, and weightlifting.

“SouthCoast has been a perfect match,” says Dr. Lapinsky. “The one thing I really like about SouthCoast is that all physicians work together. I have built-in allies and colleagues to go to if I have questions outside of my specialty. I think it's great to be part of a multi-specialty physician practice.”