Meena Rao, MD

I'm a native of Columbus, Georgia and a Yale University alumnus. I went to Duke University for medical school and remained in Durham for my internal medicine residency, cardiology fellowship and interventional cardiology fellowship. I finished my training in 2005. \n In my spare time, I enjoy hunting, fishing, boating and spending time outdoors with my wife and two children. Living in Wilmington gives us so many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors, and we take full advantage of our location on the beautiful coast.

I've been enamored with medicine for as long as I can remember. My grandfather, for whom I was named, was a general practitioner in my hometown of Reidsville, North Carolina and took care of nearly the entire town. \n Within a few hours of my premature birth, my grandfather suspected I had pneumonia. He had me transferred to Moses Cone Hospital, where I spent three weeks in the ICU. A few weeks after I was discharged, I went into septic shock. Again, my grandfather recognized the signs. He coded me during the ambulance ride, which saved my life. \n I was always driven to succeed academically and wanted to attend a top college to improve my chances of following in my grandfather's footsteps. At Wake Forest University, I majored in chemistry and volunteered at healthcare clinics in Winston-Salem. I was thrilled to attend Wake Forest for medical school, which is where my passion for cardiology began to blossom. \n I did my internal medicine residency at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas because the program director's pitch included that the school is known for training cardiologists and sending them all over the world. I knew I wanted to live in North Carolina, so the all over the world part didn't attract me. The cardiology training program did. \n During my cardiology fellowship at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, I fell in love with the city and with a New Orleans girl named Alex. \n During my second year in fellowship, I interviewed for a job with a Wilmington practice with incredible doctors, advanced practitioners and administrators. Accepting the job was one of the easiest decisions of my life. (Marrying Alex was the easiest.) \n My specialties include general cardiology; advanced imaging, including transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography; stress testing and coronary CTA. I also perform cardioversions and implant loop recorders. I love my job, my patients, this community and the people with whom I have the pleasure of working. \n In my free time, I love running and spending time with Alex and our young son. A wonderful golden retriever and calico cat complete our family. We are in love with the city and enjoy days on the beach, diving into new restaurants and bars, walking the loop and exploring all the water sports the area makes possible.

Cardiology is a very personal field for me, as I have seen the impacts remarkable heart care can have on a patient and a family. My younger brother was born with a heart defect and was not expected to survive his first year. My father suffered from coronary artery disease and required heart surgery when I was young. Because of the quality care they received while I was growing up in Asheville, North Carolina, both my brother and father survived for many years. Seeing that inspired me to pursue a career in cardiology. \n I perform angioplasty and stent procedures, and see patients both in our clinics and local hospitals. I particularly enjoy visiting with patients years after they have presented with heart issues and required emergency care. Our initial treatments are only a first step towards long-term health, and I am proud of being part of that valuable first step. \n Southeastern North Carolina is a great place to call home. I love the opportunities I have here to enjoy multiple watersports including surfing, kitesurfing and sailing. I also enjoy running and biking, and traveling with my family. Together we try to stay as active as possible, something I encourage my patients to strive for as well.