Meet Mr Siva Sundararajan
17 Jul 2017
17 July 2017
Mr Sundararajan commenced private practice at our hospital in 2017. He also takes public appointments at our St John of God Midland Public Hospital and Armadale Hospital.
We spoke to Mr Sundararajan about his work, special areas of interest, his time in the army, and what makes his service unique.
How long have you been working as a general surgeon?
I competed my medical degree in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in 2004, before commencing fellowship training in Australia. I have been working as a general surgeon for just over a year. After finishing my general surgical training in Perth, I moved to Melbourne to undertake a bariatric fellowship at Box Hill Hospital, which is the only tertiary public hospital in Australia with a dedicated bariatric surgery unit that is separate from the upper glycemic index unit. In 2017, I returned to Perth to commence public appointments and start his private practice.
What are your areas of special interest?
Bariatric surgery is my main area of interest. In Melbourne, I was fortunate to work with range of high calibre bariatric surgeons from one of the pioneers of bariatric surgery in Australia, Mr Harry Frydenberg, to innovative surgeons such, as Mr Anthony Clough – the first surgeon in Australia to perform robotic gastric bypass surgery for weight loss. After my fellowship, I wanted to fine-tune my skills and undertook further training in Brugges, Belgium. Dr Bruno Dillemans, the chief bariatric surgeon at the hospital, is a world authority on gastric bypass surgery.
I also have an interest in military surgery as a result of my time in the army as a medic. The Royal Australian Airforce recently appointed me as a surgeon. It is a great honour and another way I can perform services to the country that has shaped and nurtured my aspirations to become a surgeon.
How did you get into working in this field?
Over the course of my training in both the United Kingdom and Australia, I have come to appreciate the commonality of general surgical problems and how satisfying managing them is to me.
General surgery is one of the few specialties that can be practiced in remote areas where patients traditionally have suboptimal access to healthcare.
Obesity, diabetes and heart disease is common in people from my ethnic background, which led me to undertake sub-speciality training in bariatric surgery. I saw firsthand the impact and transformation that bariatric surgery had to patients’ lives, which cemented my decision to offer bariatric surgery.
What can patients expect from you?
I strongly believe that if you are going to do something, do it well and with precision. I think of surgery as needing to operate like a F1 team. Even if the driver is the best surgeon on the planet, without a well-oiled team, you cannot produce the desired result. I am fortunate to have a fantastic team who are some of the best in the country. Patients can expect to have an honest, compassionate and down to earth surgeon who does not rush them through consultations and takes time to listen to them.
Do you have any interesting non-medical hobbies/interests?
I have an avid interest in origami and love playing squash and soccer. My ever-supportive wife and three beautiful children complete my life.
To book an appointment with Mr Sundararajan or to view a list of our other general surgeons, use our Find a Doctor function.
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