Sampson Davis, M.D.

Dr. Sampson Davis was raised as the fifth of six children in Newark, one of New Jersey’s poorest cities. As a child, he grew up in cramped living quarters, surrounded by fragmented families, crime, and drugs. Yet, he excelled academically, maintaining a balance between being intellectually astute and socially adept, a duality critical to his survival in a challenging environment.

While attending University High School in Newark, he met Dr. Rameck Hunt and Dr. George Jenkins, two fellow students who together vowed to become doctors. This pact was successfully fulfilled by all parties, and today, Dr. Davis is a board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Today, Dr. Davis practices medicine while traveling the U.S. delivering keynote speeches that emphasize the importance of education. He terms his motivational philosophy as the three Ds -- Dedication, Determination, and Discipline -- essential for success.

Apart from his medical practice, Dr. Davis is a Medical Director at several urgent care and substance abuse facilities across the country. He has co-authored several influential books including "The Pact," "We Beat the Street," "The Bond" and "Living and Dying in Brick City – An ER Doctor Returns Home." His latest co-authored book, "The STUFF: Unlock Your Power to Overcome Challenges, Soar, and Succeed," with Sharlee Jeter captures 11 core elements to maximize personal success, narrating inspiring stories of individuals overcoming daunting life challenges. Dr. Davis asserts that by mastering these elements, everyone can achieve their fullest potential.

Dr. Davis has been featured on several high-profile media platforms, including "Oprah," "Dr. Oz," "Today," "The View," "CBS This Morning," "Live with Kelly and Mark," "PBS News Hour," "Anderson Cooper 360," and NPR. His media presence extends to print, appearing in People, O Magazine, Reader’s Digest, the Washington Post, NY Times, USA Today, Parade, and Black Enterprise.

He has received numerous accolades, such as the Essence Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 and being named the youngest physician to receive the National Medical Association’s highest honor, The Scroll of Merit. In 2021, he was named Seton Hall University Alumnus of the Year.

Dr. Davis graduated with honors from Seton Hall University, earned his medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and completed his residency in emergency medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center -- the same hospital where he was born.

In 2000, during his residency, Davis, along with his childhood friends, founded The Three Doctors Foundation, a non-profit which operates under the H.E.L.M. principles (health, education, leadership, and mentoring), and offers free public programs to communities year-round.