2022 Travel Team Feature: Dr. Siva Arumugam
Operation Walk Pittsburgh’s Mission 2022 is a little over ten weeks away. We are in the process of getting our cargo shipped so it is there when our pre-trip team arrives at the end of September. We are bringing 74 travel team members in total who will arrive in Antigua just a few days after the advance team. We are looking forward to all being together again, and to welcoming first-time travel team members.
Our next travel team member to be featured in this series is one of our first-timers, Dr. Siva Arumugam. Dr. Siva is from Connecticut and comes to Operation Walk Pittsburgh with years of experience as an anesthesiologist. Learn about Dr. Siva, his career, and what Operation Walk Pittsburgh means to him below.
Meet Travel Team Member Dr. Siva Arumugam!
From where does Dr. Siva hail? What made him choose a career in healthcare?
Dr. Siva was trained in India, the United Kingdom and the United States. He has a particular interest and focus on practice and teaching regional anesthesia and patient safety. In his free time, Dr. Siva enjoys running, reading, watching cricket & tennis, traveling, hiking, and photography.
What made Dr. Siva’s interested in Anesthesia?
While in medical school, anesthesia and pain relief was intriguing to Dr. Siva, especially the application of medical knowledge and use of potent medications for quicker and better outcomes. After medical school, Dr. Siva continued to teach and conduct research in acute pain relief and how to improve outcomes for surgical patients. Having trained in three different countries, he developed an interest in teaching and training the next generation of anesthesiologists. Though he currently works in a bustling private practice, Dr. Siva has been teaching at the University of Connecticut for more than fifteen years. He has received many accolades, including a best teacher award, and is an examiner for the American Board of Anesthesiology. He teaches at national conferences and workshops across the United States.
“I’m looking forward to providing the gift of mobility for the less privileged with such a committed and experienced organization.” - Dr. Siva
What brings Dr. Siva to Operation Walk?
Dr. Siva heard about Operation Walk Pittsburgh from a surgeon he works with who is also an Operation Walk Pittsburgh travel team member. Dr. Siva heard about the team’s excellent track record with patient outcomes and that travel team members all have wonderful experiences on the mission trips. So, Dr. Siva applied to the team himself and was pleased to hear he was accepted. He is looking forward to bringing his talents to our committed and experienced organization and to help provide the gift of mobility for the less privileged in Guatemala as one of our anesthesiologists.
Anesthesiologists play a vital role in a patient’s care experience by providing the medical evaluation required to ensure a patient is in good, overall health and is safe for surgery. They also closely monitor patients under anesthesia during surgery and supervise certified registered nurse anesthetists who keep track of patients’ vital signs. Dr. Siva joins two other anesthesiologists on this year’s travel team and is very excited to be able to practice medicine at Obras Sociales.
When asked the three words he would use to describe Operation Walk Pittsburgh, Dr. Siva answered, THANKFUL, EXCITED, AND READY.
Please consider making a donation in Dr. Siva's name to support his fundraising commitment. All travel team members agree to a fundraising goal, and donations made in a travel team member’s name are used to purchase critically needed surgical supplies and equipment for the mission. Remember, 100% of all donations made to Operation Walk Pittsburgh directly support patient care. Won’t you help Dr. Siva reach his fundraising goal?