Dr. Ramanujan “Ram” Samavedy is the most recent addition to the team at The University of Tennessee Medical Center. Samavedy comes to the medical center as the region’s first fellowship trained physician in endoscopic ultrasound and will serve as a gastroenterologist, according to a UT Medical Center press release.

The primary focus of Samavedy’s work will involve diagnosing and treating patients with diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract by using a flexible tube to get images and information about the digestive system. This will allow him to check for cancers and tumors in patients. He will also serve as a clinical faculty member in the UT Department of Medicine. The opportunity to be involved in the development of future doctors at the region’s only academic medical center gives me immense satisfaction. -Dr. Ramanujan Samavedy

“I realize that as I bring new skills to the medical center, it appears to be a perfect fit with UT Medical Center’s continued mission of excellence in patient care and providing the most advanced treatment options possible,” Samavedy said. “In addition, the opportunity to be involved in the development of future doctors at the region’s only academic medical center gives me immense satisfaction.”

Samavedy graduated from medical school at Pondicherry University in Pudcherry, India. He has previously practiced medicine with the Gastrointestinal Associates in Milwaukee, Wis., and the Indianapolis VA Medical Center. He completed his residency at the Indiana University Medical Center.

Samavedy’s experience has led him to believe that one of the keys to practicing medicine is to listen to his patients and individualize care for them based on their own specific needs.

“The Graduate School of Medicine is delighted that Dr. Samavedy is a clinical faculty member in the Department of Medicine," said Dr. James Neutens, Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine. “As the only board-certified therapeutic endoscopic gastroenterologist in East Tennessee, he will enhance our training programs immensely as well as provide highly specialized care for digestive disorders through the University of Tennessee Medical Center – the region’s only academic medical center.”

Endoscopic ultrasound is a new and very specific area of the medical field. Only 16 physicians are fellowship trained to do this procedure. Having access to Samavedy’s expertise will allow the UT Medical Center to expand its reach and continue to help more patients throughout the region.