Rao Ivatury

I have known Dr.Ramachandra Ivatury as a colleague from very early on in our life, starting with our surgical residency at Misericordia hospital , until the very end. He has been a great colleague, friend, a mentor, a great teacher. He will be missed, and his memories will remain close to our heart. He will be greatly missed by me and my family. My prayers are with Arun and Gautam who have lost both parents at such a short time. Dr Prakashchandra & Geetha Rao

I am at a great loss at the passing away of a great beloved friend, colleague, in Ramchandra Ivatury. We have known each other from the first year of his residency at Misericordia Hospital. Our friendship grew from there and went beyond as colleagues, in the Department of Surgery. He was a great surgeon, teacher, and publisher. We were very close to the very end, He will always be missed. Our prayers are with his children, Gautam and Arun and their families.

I worked with Dr. Ivatury here at VCUH as his admin assistant for almost 5 years. It was truly a blessing to work with him. He was always kind and had a great sense of humor. I'd say he was one of the smartest people I'd ever met. My best memories are the times he would come to my office, put his feet up on the corner of the desk, eat chocolates and chat about the day. He loved his family, his job and cared so much for people. I will never forget him! He taught me a lot. We kept in touch even after all these years. What a gem! I will miss him dearly.

So sorry to hear about Dr. Ivatury‘s passing. I credit him with being one of my attendings in New York who I wanted to emulate as a trauma and acute care surgeon before the term was ever used. He was the consummate triple threat: a technically masterful surgeon, a brilliant surgical intensivist, and a tour de force academician with an incredible curiosity and thirst for inquiry. Dr. Ivatury also had a graciously large heart. He had already matriculated to VCU when I moved to North Carolina. He and his wife opened up their home in Richmond to my family and I, fed us, and offered to put us up for the night on our way to Greenville. I will always be indebted to him and I am proud to say that I was one of the many residents that he trained. 

Dr. Ivatury was an amazing doctor and teacher, quiet and unassuming. He always smiled when he saw me in the unit and I remember seeing him weekly there. His passing is a great loss to his family as well as the trauma world. He will truly be missed.

Dr. Ivatury made me feel like what I thought and had to say mattered as a new nurse on the trauma floor. He was a ground breaking surgeon, but also kind and was always listening to his team. I had to text him about a patient not realizing he was in India on vacation. He text me back from his blackberry as if it was no problem at all. He was a great man.

What a great teacher and surgeon. I enjoyed working with him as a Nurse. Such a kind man as well. Rest in peace.

Had a memory of lecturing after him with paramedic students in Henrico Fire. He laughed and made fun when we had different opinions of the correct or safest systolic blood pressure for trauma patients. Someone so intelligent yet, so kind and humble. Never any doubt on the incredible number of patients his spirit touched. May he find peace now. You are missed Dr Ivatury.

I came to know him since 1993 when I came to US and stayed with him for about 8 months and came to know him. I was lucky to go with him and see him rounding in the surgical unit at Lincoln Medical center Bronx. He was master in his field and experienced Trauma surgeon. He help ton of students and helped to build our careers. I was very lucky to continue this relationship till he moved out of newyork to Virginia till his retirement and then after that . My Dictionary to find words for the great Man is running short. I hope we learn from him and be what ever we can with his teachings and blessings. He was always generous and Getleman and caring family man. He was highly research oriented and his first textbook for penetrating trauma's was first pillar for Trauma.

I was a surgical intern then. One day I fell asleep on the computer keyboard when he was on call attending. He woke me up and I saw his smiling face. Ask me to follow him for a cup of coffee. It was around 2am. I thought my residency is done, I might have to leave. But he told me do I really want to be a surgeon? I was slightly older than the other residents as I was an attending back in Bangladesh and had to start from scratch in this country. He advised me to think about it. He also told me "Look at me at this age I am passing my time at the hospital, I should be home sleeping in my bed". Life is tuff as a surgeon. I did not pursue surgery because of my age. I will never forgot him, rather few days before his passing away I just thought about him and wanted to visit him as he lives not too far from where I live.

I worked with Dr. Ivatury in Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx for many years. He was a great physician, surgeon and human being. Despite his brilliance and incredible skills, he was always humble, compassionate, caring, hardworking, dedicated and nice! RIP Rao, you have earned it, as you have done a tremendous amount of good in this world. All of us who have ever worked with you and known you will agree that you were wonderful in every way. Joel Gernsheimer, MD

I will forever remember Dr Ivatury as an esteemed surgeon who believed that it took an entire team to care for the severely injured patient. When he came to VCU as the Chief of Trauma he also was appointed the medical director for the Center for Trauma and Critical Care Education as well as the medical director for one of Virginia’s first paramedic programs. He confided he didn’t have any experience directing an EMS education program but became our most ardent supporter with regard to prehospital trauma care and he loved teaching EMS providers particularly in rural areas. He would proclaim to the EMTs and paramedics how important their role was in the continuum of care and that he was humbled by the work we do something he would say “I couldn’t do what you do.” Dr Ivatury was always available. I could stop by unannounced with a question or issue that needed his attention or to just talk. He would always stop what he was doing and ask me to “come, sit let’s talk.” The greatest honor for me was to be the first recipient of the Rao Ivatury Award. I have missed him as my boss and my friend. Rhonda and I will forever be grateful for your kindness and friendship. Your impact on the Center and EMS will live forever. I am honored to have worked for you and will forever be grateful you were my boss and my friend.

Dr. Ivatury was my mentor in the Governor's school for Medicine program in 1999. I was assigned to him over the course of that summer as a senior in high school. He took me under his wing, and taught me everything a high schooler could possibly learn about trauma. I got to watch open gastric bypasses, lap cholecystectomies, and even had to present a paper I was expected to write about gallstone removal to Dr. I. in his office. I became a nurse at VCU and worked in Neurosurgery and subsequently, cardiology. Dr. Ivatury graciously accepted my invitation to my Clin 4 pinning ceremony and brought flowers to me. He told me how proud he was of my accomplishments. Dr. Ivatury was like a father to me, which was of particular significance since I did not have a dad growing up. I am so thankful and blessed to have gotten to work with this astounding man.

Rao not only served as a mentor in my life, but he also took me under his wing and played a significant role in shaping me into the surgeon I am today. His guidance and support were invaluable during the most challenging times of my career. He stood up for what was right and fair, always advocating for those he cared about. I am forever grateful for his unwavering belief in me and the lessons I learned from him. The void left by his absence is deeply felt by many whose lives he touched. I will forever cherish the wisdom and knowledge he shared with me. Rao, you will be greatly missed, and your legacy will continue to inspire. May you rest in peace, dear mentor. 🙏💔 Your impact on my life will never be forgotten."

Dr Ivatury and I started Surgical Residency in July 1975 in Fordham Hospital in The Bronx , later in Misericordia Hospital. We graduated together and stayed in the faculty of New York Medical College - running the Level 1 Trauma Center and Surgical ICU in Lincoln Hospital .We were together for 12 years before I left NY to get into private practice. He was an excellent teacher with great clinical skills , a superb analytical mind that enabled him to publish extensively in various aspects of Trauma/ ICU care . What little I accomplished in the academic arena, I owe it to him . Above all he was a loyal friend and we kept in touch with each other till a few weeks before his demise . He was my “ Friend , Philosopher & Guru “ . I am at a loss for words to express my sorrow . My deeply felt condolences to his sons Gautham and Arun . He was one of a kind and he will be missed. Manohar Nallathambi - Atlanta

I have many fond memories of working with Dr Ivatury when he was a surgical resident in the Bronx. It was an honor to know him then and to reconnect in the past few months. May he rest peacefully and contentedly after a life of so much dedication and amazing contribution to surgery.

Rao was such a great surgeon and friend. He will be greatly missed!

I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Ivatury. I am grateful to have been trained by him and to have written several articles with him. I especially enjoyed traveling to meetings with both Dr. Ivatury and Lela. I am most grateful of his mentorship and friendship to Michel. I am sorry for your loss and will keep your family in my prayers. May his memory be eternal.

First as my teacher and then as a colleague Dr Rao Ivatury was a role model creating novel approaches to managing trauma patients and an amazing teacher to students residents and colleagues hard to believe 25 years have passed since he left the South Bronx but his legacy will never be forgotten condolences to all his loved ones