Emory University School of Medicine M.D. Candidate
2024 – 2020
Stanford University B.A., Political Science and Government GPA: 3.96/4.00; GPA in Major: 4.00/4.00
2019 – 2018
Georgia Institute of Technology Coursework spanning linear algebra, matrix theory, and multivariable calculus
Enrolled at 16, in lieu of high school
PUBLICATIONS & PATENTS
In progress
Budnitz J, Weinberg B. Retrieval-Augmented Generation for Hyper-Accurate and Properly Cited Responses to Questions in Neuroradiology. In progress.
Under review
Wang J, Waldman J, Budnitz J, Harrison T, Albin C, Weinberg B. Assessing the Effectiveness of Spaced Repetition Learning in Radiology Medical Education. Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology. Under review.
2025
Budnitz, JB. Phase-Change Methods for Cooling Glabrous Skin; U.S. Patent Application No. 18/485,200; published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0057690 on February 20, 2025.
2024
Budnitz, JB. Ketamine and Consent: Investigating Patient Capacity During Intravenous Ketamine Therapy. In progress.
2024
Budnitz, JB, et al. Endothermic Reactions for Single-Use Palmar Cooling; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/705,266. First named inventor.
2023
Budnitz, JB. Phase-Change Methods for Cooling Glabrous Skin; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/578,602.
Budnitz, J., Cavanaugh, J., Hon, S. L. (2022). Child safety of liquid nicotine bottles: We must do better. Public Health and Toxicology, 2(3), 14. https://doi.org/10.18332/pht/152889
Budnitz J, Hon S, Punzi J. The Efficacy of Flow Restrictors on Children's Liquid Acetaminophen Products. Journal of Pharmacy Technology. 2020;36(3):114-116. doi:10.1177/8755122520911208
PRESENTATIONS
2023
Budnitz J. Ketamine and Consent: An Investigation of Patient Capacity During Intravenous Ketamine Therapy. Symposia of Undergraduate Research and Public Service; October 2023; Stanford, CA.
2020
Budnitz J, Cavanaugh J, Hon S. Are Vape Juice Bottles Effective in Preventing Pediatric Deaths When "Sucked" On? North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology; September 10-14, 2020; San Francisco, CA.
2019
Budnitz J, Hon S, Punzi J. Amount of Medication Released in Child Safety Testing Varies for Different Acetaminophen Products and Flow Restrictor Types. American College of Clinical Pharmacists Annual Meeting; October 26-29, 2019; New York, NY.
INVITED LECTURES
2024
Budnitz J, Janarthanan S. Biotechnology & Entrepreneurship. Aga Khan University Entrepreneurial Society Speaker Series; June 1, 2024; Karachi, Pakistan (virtual).
2024
Budnitz J. Gene Editing & Superhuman Enhancements. Stanford Sigma Nu Second Spring Symposium; May 28, 2024; Stanford, CA.
2024
Budnitz J. How to Buy Greenland: A Foreign Policy Proposal. Stanford Sigma Nu Spring Symposium; April 20, 2024; Stanford, CA.
CLINICAL AI
Present – 2026
Large Language Models with Retrieval-Augmented Generation for Diagnostic RadiologyLead AI Engineer Using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to create hyper-accurate, minimal-hallucination, citation-enabled large language models (LLMs) for neuroradiology in collaboration with Dr. Brent Weinberg, MD, PhD, Director, Division of Neuroradiology - Emory University.
Developed research idea, system architecture, and evaluation criteria
Scraped, cleaned, and embedded hours of expert lecture slides, transcripts, and written teaching materials, as well as clinically relevant PMC articles, StatPearls, and ACR guidelines
Built custom evaluation harness to streamline reviewing model outputs en masse
Currently exploring and evaluating model performance on expert clinical questions, differential diagnosis generation, and pedagogical abilities
Pilot test results (n=30 clinical questions, LLM: Opus 4.7, retrieval: dense-lexical hybrid): zero hallucinations; zero physician-level reasoning errors; correct and appropriate citations
RELAY is an AI enabled call bell that triages the urgency of patient calls, displays live transcripts and supplemental patient history on centralized provider dashboards, and logs data about call outcomes, provider response metrics, and system-wide trends in a built in QI platform. RELAY works in 98 different languages and includes custom patient apps to ensure the platform is accessible to all
Solo coded RELAY's patient app, provider dashboard, and QI platform
Built systems to perform live, clinical grade transcription, translation, and summarization
Decreased the cost and size of rapid body or "palmar" cooling by an order of magnitude
Developed phase change materials capable of precise temperature control and mass heat absorption
Personally constructed >300 prototypes & devices, oversaw factory production of 1000, and commissioned to build custom editions for the U.S. Department of Defense
Performed pilot human testing; device extended aerobic duration by 42% compared to control
Transferred the IP to Arteria Technology after private acquisition (2024)
2025 – 2024
Single Use Rapid Body Cooling Developed single-use rapid-cooling concepts using environmentally conscious endothermic reactions for glabrous-skin cooling; first named inventor on related provisional patent.
2026
Manufacturing of Non-Plasticizable, Bio-Compatible PolymersLead Engineer Privately contracted to develop easily manufacturable, non-plasticizable, biocompatible polymers.
BIOLOGY
2026
Organism Logger Built a structured biology-observation logger for tracking organisms, phenotypes, environmental context, and experimental notes.
2026
Peptocopeia Built a source-backed peptide reference with citation review, vendor metadata, and moderator verification workflows.
Designed a modular system for electricity-independent cold-chain transport in resource-scarce and emergency settings powered by shelf stable, endothermic reactions
Engineering schematics available for all to use in common
2026 – 2025
Advising for Georgia Tech Biomedical Engineering Capstone Advised biomedical-engineering capstone students on research and prototyping for novel fixation and sealing approaches for thoracic aortic stents.
MEDICAL EDUCATION
2026
Syllabus Syllabus is a central repository for tools I construct to accelerate and improve medical education, including:
Anki-Claude: Claude-integrated Anki add-on for on-demand explanations
CREATIVE WORKS
Present – 2026
Atlanta Explorer Used data from public property records to create an interactive model for estimating neighborhood specific population density and housing type in Atlanta. Midtown is nearly complete, other neighborhoods still under construction...
2025
Structure Play Self-published and distributed a limited-run art book before medical school; sold copies through independent art stores.
Consult for a Stanford Biodesign team developing accessible palmar cooling devices to alleviate multiple sclerosis-related tremor
Provide thermoregulation, product strategy, translational research, and technical landscape guidance while keeping phase-change material implementation details confidential
Present – 2025
Emory University Department of Radiology and Imaging SciencesAI Engineer; Medical Education Researcher
Independently building a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) system with Dr. Brent Weinberg for neuroradiology education and workflow support; own architecture, corpus design, retrieval strategy, prompt/evaluation loop, and implementation
Medical education research: co-authored manuscript under review in Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology evaluating an image-rich neuroradiology Anki deck for medical student education
Invented a rapid body cooling system that increased human walking endurance >40% above the natural limit and decreased the cost and size of rapid body cooling by an order of magnitude. This device surmounted the economic and manufacturing hurdles that previously hindered rapid body cooling's accessibility, and was acquired by Arteria Technology.
Led the company's research and development of novel rapid body cooling devices
2023
Maria X Martinez Street Medicine Clinic / Zuckerberg San Francisco GeneralStreet Medicine Volunteer
First and only volunteer at San Francisco General Hospital's public clinic for the homeless in the Tenderloin
Triaged patients, took vitals, disinfected and bandaged wounds, administered EKGs, and connected patients experiencing abuse with social workers
2023
Santa Clara County Public Health DepartmentHarm Reduction Team Volunteer
Supported public health staff providing sanitation supplies, clean needles, STD exams, and other harm-reduction services in Gilroy, California
2024 – 2022
Stanford Synapse / Glial Buddies Peer Support CommitteeEmotional/Peer Support Counselor
Organized opportunities for students to provide 1:1 emotional support and companionship to individuals coping with traumatic brain injury
2022
Emory UniversityResearch Assistant
Researched emerging ethical dilemmas in medicine, developed proposed frameworks, and presented findings
Developed curriculum for practicing physicians on medical ethics and practical approaches to resolving clinical ethical dilemmas; presented at the Southern Hospital Medicine Conference in October 2022
2022
Emory Healthcare Ethics CommitteeStudent Observer
Observed the committee's monthly review of medical-ethics dilemmas and inpatient ethics consults, building practical familiarity with clinical ethics deliberation
2021
InnerMind NFTChief Financial Officer & Lead DeFi Analyst
Created NFTs with generative AI; analyzed market trends to optimize release timing; generated 100k in revenue in two months
Recognition: Oxford Business Review, "The Digital Trading Card: The Rapid and Astounding Rise of NFTs"
2022 – 2019
Georgia Poison CenterResearcher
Identified pediatric poisoning risks from concentrated flavored nicotine bottles used in refillable e-cigarettes; designed and conducted trials and statistical analyses
First-authored publication and presented findings at the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology
2018
Centers for Disease Control and PreventionResearch Technician
Conducted more than 200 validation trials evaluating ASTM standards used to assess pediatric medication safety
HONORS & AWARDS
2026
1st Prize, IHI National Case Competition, Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
2023
Stanford Major Grant, awarded for student-led full-time research on consent practices in intravenous ketamine therapy.
2024 – 2021
Stanford Club Swim Team; 11x College Club Swimming Nationals Qualifier.
2020 – 2016
Competitive Swimming: 3x Georgia State Champion; 2x High School All-American; USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.
LEADERSHIP
2024 – 2023
Stanford Administrative Panel for Human Subjects Research Voting member appointed to review research protocols and protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects.
2024 – 2022
Stanford University Judicial Panel Voting member appointed to adjudicate potential violations of the Stanford Honor Code and Fundamental Standard.
ADDITIONAL AREAS OF STUDY
Medical
Predictive genomics; retrieval-augmented generation and clinical AI; radiology education and spaced repetition; clinical bioethics and consent.
Engineering
Thermoregulation and glabrous-skin cooling; medical-device prototyping.
Biomolecular
Peptide/peptoid therapeutics and biomimetic materials.