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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.

Kavya Rao MD

Professional Summary:

As a neonatologist, I have the privilege of caring for a vulnerable neonatal population who are delicate with the potential to overcome severe illness and grow into healthy, thriving individuals.

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. Witnessing this transformation is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work and a key reason why I pursued this subspecialty.

    I am a neonatologist and researcher committed to advancing neonatal care through evidence-based practice and innovation.

    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. 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. 108th Perinatal and Developmental Medicine Symposium (2025)

  • "Developing a Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Guideline to Promote Antibiotic Stewardship" NEC Society Symposium (2025)
  • "Growing for Good - Comparing Growth and Other Outcomes Pre and Post Implementation of an Exclusive Human Milk Diet" NEC Society Symposium (2025)
  • "Bubble Breaths: A Quality Improvement initiative To Increase CPAP Adherence In Preterm Infants" Neonatal Quality Conference at Hot Topics conference (2024)
  • "Going for Gold!

    Witnessing this transformation is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work and a key reason why I pursued this subspecialty.

    I am a neonatologist and researcher committed to advancing neonatal care through evidence-based practice and innovation. 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.

    Patients Treated:

    Children

    Physician Gender:

    Female


.

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:

  • "Reducing Antibiotic Exposure Using 24-Hour Early-Onset Sepsis Rule-Out in a Level IV NICU" American Academy of Pediatrics; Section on Perinatal Pediatrics.

    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. 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.

    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
See all(11 more)

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)

School News:

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Insurance Accepted:


Kavya Rao
MD

Professional Summary:

As a neonatologist, I have the privilege of caring for a vulnerable neonatal population who are delicate with the potential to overcome severe illness and grow into healthy, thriving individuals.

Pediatric quality & safety (Oct), 6(5): e459.