Kavya Rao MD
Kavya Rao
MD
Clinical Assistant Professor - Neonatology
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine; Neonatology; Nutrition; Pediatrics; Perinatal-Neonatal Medicine
Contact Information
Patient Care
Patient Care
This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.
View this physician on UBMDProfessional Summary:
As a neonatologist, I have the privilege of caring for a vulnerable population who are delicate with the potential to overcome severe illness and grow into healthy, thriving individuals. Witnessing this transformation is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work and a key reason I pursued this subspecialty.
I am a neonatologist and researcher committed to advancing neonatal care through evidence-based practice and innovation. As the NICU Medical Director at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, I lead initiatives to improve patient care, safety, and outcomes for critically ill and premature infants. My clinical and research interests center on neonatal nutrition and quality improvement in the NICU, with a focus on optimizing growth, development, and long-term health. By implementing data-driven interventions and refining feeding strategies, I strive to enhance the overall standard of neonatal care and improving outcomes in babies.
Beyond my clinical and research responsibilities, I am deeply committed to interdisciplinary collaboration and mentoring the next generation of medical students, pediatric residents, and neonatal fellows, fostering excellence in neonatal medicine.
Education and Training:
- MS, Masters in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS), University of Toronto - Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (2024)
- Fellowship, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship, Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine (2018)
- Residency, Pediatrics Residency, Zucker School of Medicine - Staten Island University Hospital at Northwell Health (2015)
- Internship, Pediatrics residency, Zucker School of Medicine- Staten Island University Hospital Northwell Health (2013)
- MD, Kasturba Medical College International Center, Summa Cum Laude (2011)
- BS, Bachelors of Health Sciences, Kasturba Medical College, Magna Cum Laude (2008)
Employment:
- Medical Director, Neonatology, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital (2022-present)
- Attending Neonatologist, Neonatology, Oishei Children's Hospital (2021-present)
- Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (2021-present)
- Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, University at Buffalo UBMD
- NICU Medical Director, NICU, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital
- Membership Chair, Trainees & Early Career Neonatologist (TECaN), American Academy of Pediatrics - Section of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine (2022–2024)
- Assistant professor of pediatrics, Pediatrics, Zucker School of Medicine - Hofstra University (2018–2021)
- Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Neonatology, Zucker School of Medicine - Lenox Hill Hospital Northwell Health (2018–2021)
- Attending Neonatologist, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Lenox Hill Hospital - Northwell Health (2018–2021)
Awards and Honors:
- Jacobs Educator Excellence Program (JEEP) - University at Buffalo (2021)
- Teaching for Quality (Te4Q) - AAMC (2021)
- Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) Master Trainer Course (2019)
- 2018 Travel Award Recipient - Eastern Society of Pediatric Research (ESPR 2018) (2018)
- Pediatric Research Day Excellence Award - Rutgers research day (2018)
- 2017 Travel Award Recipient - TeCAN at Scottsdale, AZ (2017)
- Highest marks in Clinical Medicine - Kasturba Medical College (2008)
- 2016-2019 Young Physicians Leadership Alliance at American Academy of Pediatrics
- 2015 Travel Award Recipient - Eastern Society of Pediatric Research (ESPR 2015)
Research Expertise:
- Delayed cord clamping in Preterm Infants: Quality Improvement Project
- Implementation of pasteurized donor human milk in preterm neonates
- Neonatal Nutrition, BPD, Neonatal resuscitation
- Quality improvement projects in neonatal nutrition - exclusive human milk diet, neonatal hypothermia bundle, Neonatal POCUS
Journal Articles:
- Ellington M, Kasat K, Williams K, Reichman V, Stoffels G, Ming Leung T, Degoy A, Fisk R, Gonzalez-Ballesteros L, Peralta-Reich D, Potash A, Rao K. (2021) Improving Antibiotic Stewardship among Asymptomatic Newborns Using the Early-onset Sepsis Risk Calculator. Pediatric quality & safety (Oct), 6(5): e459. doi:10.1097/pq9.0000000000000459
- Nadarajah JT, Collins M, Raboud J, Su D, Rao K, Loutfy MR, Walmsley S. (2012) Infectious complications of Bio-Alcamid filler used for HIV-related facial lipoatrophy. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (Dec), 55(11): 1568-74.
Professional Memberships:
- Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) (2022–present)
- Buffalo Pediatrics Society (2021–present)
- Council on Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (COQIPS); AAP (2018–present)
- Women in Neonatology (WiN); AAP
- Eastern Society for Pediatric Research (ESPR)
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- Trainees & Early Career Neonatologists (TeCAN)
- Young Physician Leadership Alliance; AAP
Presentations:
- "Bubble Breaths: A Quality Improvement initiative To Increase CPAP Adherence In Preterm Infants" Neonatal Quality Conference at Hot Topics conference (2024)
- "Going for Gold! QI project implementing Golden Hour+ initiative in neonates born < 30 weeks gestational age at a Level 4 NICU" American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference (2024)
- "After the FDA warning about probiotic use in preterm infants, where do we go from here?" Canadian Premature Babies Foundation Premie Chat (2024)
- "Growing for Good - Comparing Growth and Other Outcomes Pre and Post Implementation of an Exclusive Human Milk Diet" Eastern Society for Pediatric Research (2024)
- "Nutrition Today for a Healthy Tomorrow" Pediatrics Grand Rounds - Jacobs School of Medicine, University at Buffalo (2023)
- "Validation of Extubation Readiness Tool in Extreme Premature Infants at a Regional Perinatal Center" Pediatric Academic Society (PAS) (2023)
- "Validation of Extubation Readiness Tool in Extreme Premature Infants at a Regional Perinatal Center" American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition (2022)
- "Breast is Best - Benefits and Implementation of Exclusive Human Milk Diet in Preterm Infants" Pediatrics Grand Rounds (2022)
- "Validation of Extubation Readiness Tool in Extremely Premature Neonates at a Regional Perinatal Center" Eastern Society for Pediatric Research (2022)
- "A Substantial Decrease in Platelet Transfusions After Implementation of a More Restrictive Platelet Protocol" Pediatric Academic Society 2025
- "Growing for Good - Comparing Growth and Other Outcomes Pre and Post Implementation of an Exclusive Human Milk Diet" Pediatric Academic Society Annual Meeting, Honolulu
- "Implementation of an Exclusive Human Milk Diet in Extremely Premature Infants at a Regional Perinatal Center" Pediatric Academic Society (PAS)
- "Less is More-Transition to Lower Thresholds for packed Red Blood Cells (pRBCs) to Reduce Transfusions in Preterm Neonates <35 Weeks" Pediatric Academic Society Annual Meeting 2025
- "Neonatal CD4 T cells display altered expression of lineage-specific genes" Pediatric Academic Society Meeting (PAS): Toronto, Canada 2018
- "Polycythemia Screening in Large for Gestational Age (LGA) Neonates born Without Diabetes Mellitus." American Academy of Pediatrics
- "Rates of Non-Diagnostic Multi-Detector Computerized Tomographic (MDCT) Scans versus Ventilation/Perfusion (V/Q) Scans in the Diagnosis of Pediatric Pulmonary Embolism" Hospital for Sick Children
- "Torsades de pointes in a patient receiving fluconazole for esophageal candidiasis. A Case Report & Oral Poster Presentation at the Annual Residents Research Symposium at McMaster University (2011) Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada"
- "Unique phenotypic characteristics of lymphocytes in the umbilical artery versus vein of term infants." Pediatric Academic Society Meeting (PAS) 2018
Service Activities:
- Abstract reviewer for Council on Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (COQIPS) for AAP National Conference; Reviewer (2025–present)
- ; Implementation of POCUS Curriculum for Neonatology Fellowship - Jacobs School of Medicine (2025–present)
- ; Implementation of Quality Improvement Curriculum for Neonatology Fellowship - Jacobs School of Medicine (2025–present)
- Establishing a QI curriculum foundational series lectures for Neonatology fellowship; Quality Improvement Curriculum Foundational Series (2024–present)
- ; Pediatric Interest Group Mentorship Program (2023–present)
- Member, OB/NICU Quality Committee Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital (2022–present)
- Newborn Standards Committee - Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital (2022–present)
- Member, Clinical Leaders Group; Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, AAP (2022–present)
- Moderator, ESPR Platform Session: Eastern Medical Research Conference (2022–present)
- Membership committee member- Eastern Society for Pediatric Research (ESPR) (2022–present)
- Reviewer, ESPR Annual Eastern Medical Research Conference (2022–present)
- UBMD, Division of Neonatology Review Newborn Screening; New Born Screening (2022–present)
- Trainees and Early Career Neonatologists (TECaN) Membership Chair - AAP Section for Neonatal Perinatal Medicine (2022–present)
- Section of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine - American Academy of Pediatrics; Executive council of Trainees and Early Career Neonatologists (TECaN) (2022–present)
- Eastern Society of Pediatric Research (ESPR); Membership Chair (2022–present)
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program Instructor (2021–present)
- Clinical Competency Committee - CCC for Neonatology fellowship program (2021–present)
- Member, Neonatology fellowship program Clinical Competency committee; Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Science (2021–present)
- 360 degree evaluation of neonatology fellows; Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) (2021–present)
- Attending Neonatologist- John R. Oishei Children's Hospital (2021–present)
- Fellow/ Resident Interviewer (2021–present)