Dayton Children’s welcomes newest intensivist

Rasika Venkatraman, MD, sees children and their families through some of the worst moments of their lives. As the newest intensivist in Dayton Children’s critical care complex, she has one mission – to return a critically ill or injured child to the best they can be. “Children are the center point of our families – our world revolves around them,” says Dr. Venkatraman. “To help a child recover from devastating diseases or substantial wounds and bring a family back into balance is the best part of my job.”

Dr. Venkatraman joins a team in Dayton Children’s pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and the intermediate care unit (IMCU). Pediatric intensivists are available 24 hours a day to assist in emergency stabilization of patients.The multi-disciplinary team also consists of residents, respiratory therapists, social workers and dietitians. No other intensive care unit in the region offers the same level of experience for emergencies in children.

Coming from Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Dr. Venkatraman completed a fellowship in pediatric critical care. She also served on the adverse drug subcommittee and the venous-thromboembolism event reduction committee there and conducted research on a sedation medication to improve the experience of patients. Dr. Venkatraman is especially interested in sedation and anesthesia, as more complications can arise with more sedation. She is also interested in quality improvement, mechanical ventilation and respiratory physiology.

She earned her medical degree at Rajiv Ghandhi University of Health Sciences in Bangalore, India. She completed an internship at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore, India, and her residency at Michigan State University at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. She is certified in pediatric advanced life support as well as advanced cardiac and trauma life support.

Her interest in caring for the most serious cases extends past the hospital walls. Dr. Venkatraman spent three weeks at St. Albert’s Mission Hospital in Zimbabwe last March on a solo medical mission. She saw a wide array of critically injured and ill patients, delivered new machinery that can help combat the widespread cervical cancer problem and was even serenaded by a group of expectant mothers who come from far-flung villages during their final weeks of their pregnancy, so that they can be assured a safe delivery in the hospital.

With all her skills, Dr. Venkatraman chooses to work with children, above all others. “Children have an amazing resilience,” says Dr. Venkatraman. “They have an incredible ability to bounce back and have a spirit that is uncrushable. It’s incredibly gratifying to see a child walk out of the hospital after a devastating injury or illness and know that you were a part of their miraculous recovery.”

For more information, contact:

Stacy Porter

Communications specialist

Phone: 937-641-3666

newsroom@childrensdayton.org