Practicum Highlight: David Tuck, MPH ’26
Early Symptom Identification in Large Audience Models
David Tuck is an economist and technologist, serving as Chairman and CEO of ReCalibrateX and its health tech division, ReCalibrate Healthcare. As a Master of Public Health candidate at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine, David brings a unique perspective to his practicum work, where he explores how artificial intelligence could reshape when and how patients are reached.
His project, Early Symptom Identification in Large Audience Models, asks the question: what if we could identify individuals when they begin experiencing symptoms in the very early stages and connect with them in ways that feel supportive, personalized, and actionable?
“Where once the patient was afraid, alone in their search for answers,” David reflected, “I now see an opportunity for connection and hope.”
David’s work focuses on a longstanding challenge in public health. If outreach happens too late or too broadly, it may miss the critical window when individuals first notice something may be wrong. By leveraging large language models, his framework identifies patterns in how people describe symptoms and creates opportunities for early, customized engagement. The goal is to meet individuals where they are, in the spaces they already turn to for information.
To ground this approach, David partnered with Dr. Eric Linden of Columbia University College of Dental Medicine to examine periodontal disease, a condition affecting more than 42-47% of all adults and more than 70% of adults over the age of 65 in the United States. Periodontal disease is closely linked to systemic conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and adverse birth outcomes, making early detection especially meaningful.
Through this work, David developed the concept of Early Symptom Detection Signals (ESDS), a framework that translates patient-described symptoms into opportunities for timely outreach. Designed to operate across public health, population health, and clinical settings, ESDS emphasizes not just identifying need, but responding in ways that align with patient preferences.
The implications are significant. Rather than relying on broad, generalized messaging, this approach allows health systems to focus resources where they matter most by connecting with individuals when a message is more likely to lead to care. In doing so, it has the potential to improve outcomes while making more effective use of public health investments. Healthcare could move to being more “proactive” rather than “reactive” by listening and identifying early symptoms.
David credits Dartmouth’s collaborative and interdisciplinary environment for helping bring this vision to life. Through his Master of Public Health coursework at Geisel and his time as a graduate Energy Fellow at the Arthur L. Irving Institute, he worked alongside clinicians, researchers, and fellow students who helped shape his ideas.
“This would not have been possible without the excellent course work and the tireless efforts of superb professors and administrators at Dartmouth, both at Geisel in my Master of Public Health and at Arthur L. Irving Institute where I served as a graduate Energy Fellow. My experience at Dartmouth has been amazing as it has allowed me to collaborate with brilliant clinicians, researchers, and scholars in the pursuit of my goals to make a real impact on global health.”
Building on his research, David and his team invested into developing and launching ESDS technology in March 2026. The platform has already connected with thousands of patients nationwide and is currently supporting engagement in mental health, oral health, and maternal health.
David’s practicum reflects a broader shift in public health toward approaches that are not only data-driven, but human-centered. By reimagining how and when we connect with patients, his work points to a future where care begins earlier, outreach feels more personal, and individuals are supported at the moment they need it most.
Written By: Mia Soucy
POSTED 4/29/2026 AT 04:20 PM IN #practicum #mph
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