Rasik V. Shah, MD

As a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist, I consider it a privilege to be able to contribute to two essential components of healthy living: breathing and sleeping. I treat children who have respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic lung disease, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension, in addition to those who have sleep disorders and breathing disorders that affect their sleep.

Having worked in developing countries where medical resources are limited and children are underserved, I understand the importance of providing compassionate and personalized care. When patients come to see me, I don’t want to provide “band-aid” solutions—I get to the root of the problem.

I individualize my approach to the care of each patient, taking into account the beliefs and cultural views of my patients and their families. I am familiar with holistic and Eastern medicine, such as yoga, and can combine these approaches with Western medicine, at the request of patients and their families.

When I provide care to children at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, I collaborate with their families, involving them in every step of the process. Successful management of an illness is accomplished by teamwork. I believe that knowledge is power and I work with patients and their families to educate them about their conditions, in addition to treating them.

Once my patients and their families leave my office, they take charge of their care, so I want to give them all the knowledge and tools they need to succeed. I want to be part of people’s health care team, and by sharing my education and knowledge, I can meet all of their medical needs.

Currently, I’m studying how to increase the speed with which medications reach the respiratory tract and the lungs. In particular, I research aerosol delivery of medications.