Shuddhadeb Ray, MD

“First and foremost, my goal is to provide excellent care for our patients with heart disease. I believe in the power of teamwork with the help of a multidisciplinary group of providers. The most important member of the team is the patient themselves, and I strive to make sure each person’s voice, preferences and values are respected. The gratitude from patients and their families, the ability to deliver high quality care and the opportunities to teach best practices to those in medical training continually motivate me.”

Dr. Shuddhadeb Ray is board certified in thoracic surgery and general surgery. He focuses on coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, the surgical treatment of arrhythmia and minimally invasive/robotic heart surgery.

He became interested in cardiac physiology through his studies in biomedical engineering. Cardiovascular diseases account for a significant number of deaths worldwide, and Dr. Ray became inspired to work in this field when his medical training introduced him to the incredible and life-changing work of cardiac surgeons.

Dr. Ray serves as the associate program director for the Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship at Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute.

He’s involved in clinical research looking at outcomes and processes in cardiac surgery, including how surgeons think about complex decision-making in offering surgery to high-risk patients with endocarditis. During his surgery residency, Dr. Ray was funded for 2 years of research by the Emerson Fellowship through the American College of Surgeons, during which time he conducted research on novel mesh development for use in surgery. His findings have been presented at national and international conferences and published in the medical literature. He is also co-director of the Ethics of Surgery (EthOS) Fellowship through the Association for Surgical Education.

Dr. Ray received his medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and a master’s degree in population health sciences at Washington University School of Medicine. He completed residency in general surgery and a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Additionally, he completed a fellowship in clinical ethics at the University of Chicago MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics.

Outside of work, Dr. Ray stays active playing tennis and golf with friends. He enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 children. They especially like traveling, swimming, skiing and taking walks with their dog, Sammy.