The UAB Department of Surgery is honored to welcome two new faculty members – Katie Novitski, M.D., MPH, and Rajamiyer Venkateswaran, M.D, MBBS, M.S.

About Dr. Katie Novitski

Katie Novitski, M.D., MPH, joined the UAB Department of Surgery as a clinical assistant professor in the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery in February 2025.

Dr. Novitski earned her medical degree and master of public health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, then completed her surgery residency at Brookwood Baptist Health. Dr. Novitski is a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, American College of Surgeons, the Alabama Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, and the Alabama Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Her areas of Interest include robotic surgery, bariatric surgery outcome improvement, and patient education.

She joins UAB from the UAB St. Vincent's and will be practicing in Gadsden.

About Dr. Rajamiyer Venkateswaran

Rajamiyer Venkateswaran, M.D, MBBS, M.S., joined the UAB Department of Surgery as a professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery in February 2025.

Before coming to UAB, Dr. Venkateswaran practiced and taught at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, UK. He served as the Clinical Director for Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation and managed two cardiac surgery units in this role. He served as the Director of Heart & Lung Transplantation since 2015 and maintained the activity levels to 50-60 transplants a year. He also served as the consultant of cardiac surgery and heart and lung transplantation, the Honorary Clinical Chair for the University of Manchester, and the Chair of the Cardiothoracic Transplant Advisory Group (CTAG-UK).

Dr. Venkateswaran completed his medical degree and post-graduate training in general surgery in India and he moved to the UK for further education and training. He completed his fellowship examination and was awarded FRCS-General by Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He started his cardiac surgical training initially at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge and later in the West Midlands training program. He was board certified in cardiothoracic surgery by the intercollegiate examination board and was awarded FRCS-CTh. He completed an advanced fellowship in heart and lung transplantation and mechanical support at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK.

His research interests include the role of early management and hormonal replacement therapy in potential heart and lung donors (largest prospective randomised trial on donors) and heart transplantation from donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors. He has been involved in furthering the development of heart failure, transplantation, and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implants in India and Taiwan.