A Team Approach to Cancer Treatment
At FRCC we provide patients an environment that can minimize their worry and help them feel at ease. Since the diagnosis and treatment of cancer is worrisome enough, we designed state of the art treatment rooms with our patient's comfort foremost in our mind.
Our team consists of two cancer specialists (with over 25 years of combined work experience), qualified physicists, dosimetrists, radiation therapists, nurses, and support staff that work together as a unit to provide compassionate care to our patients. Our physics team develops multiple treatment plan options utilizing diagnostic studies that help us determine the extent of the problem and the suitability of the illness for treatment with radiation therapy.
In sum total, we provide team effort to determine the most effective plan and discuss our recommended treatment along with the benefits and risks with the patient and their family. At FRCC we also work closely with physicians involved in the overall patient's treatment to ensure integrated care.
Board Certified:
American Board of Radiology- Radiation OncologyFellowship:
Brachytherapy, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, CAResidency:
Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX (also Chief Resident)Internship:
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (affiliated with Stanford University Hospitals), San Jose, CAMedical Education:
Six-year accelerated combined BS and MD program at the University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FLMember:
- American College of Radiology
- American Medical Association
- American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
- Florida Medical Association
- Florida Radiological Society
- Marion County Medical Society
Awards:
Recipient of many prestigious awards, including U.S. Presidential Scholar Finalist & National Merit Scholar
Hospital Privileges (On-Staff):
- Ocala Regional Medical Center
- Munroe Regional Medical Center
- West Marion Community Hospital
- Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center
- Citrus Memorial Hospital
Additional Information:
Dr. Sandrapaty stays actively involved in the medical community through membership in several professional societies. He serves on the Item Writing Committee for the American Board of Radiology's written examinations. He is also a member of the Cancer Committee at Ocala Regional Medical Center.
Board Certified:
- American Board of Physician Specialists- Radiation Oncology
- Member of the Royal College of Physicians- Internal/Geriatric Medicine
Fellowship:
- Clinical Brachytherapy and Hyperthermia, Long Beach Memorial, Long Beach CA and University of California, Irvine, CA
- Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Swansea/Cardiff Infirmary, South Wales, UK
Residency:
- Gastroenterology
- Geriatric Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Medical Oncology
- Radiation Oncology
Member:
- American Association of Physician Specialists
- American Brachytherapy Society
- American Medical Society
- Royal College of Physicians- Ireland and UK
Additional Information:
Dr. Rao serves as a Medical Director for Florida Regional Cancer Centers. He was an active participant in numerous research projects for prostate, breast and gynecologic cancers.
- enrolled patients for the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast Cancer Protocols (NSABP) and Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) lung cancer protocols
- moderated the International Prostate Cancer Workshop in Orlando, Florida and Long Beach, California
- invited guest speaker at Sylvester Cancer Center- Miami Medical Center, Wayne State University and the American Association of Physician Specialists' annual meeting in New York
- Member of a national focus group that helped set guidelines for the implementation and use of prostate HDR treatment protocols
In addition to helping train physicians, Dr. Rao helped his colleagues set up HDR Brachytherapy suites in Florida. Dr. Rao is credited with introducing state-of-the-art 3-D treatment planning and IMRT, as well as stereotactic radiosurgery to Marion and Citrus Counties in Florida.