Dr. Vijay Rao K R

Dr. Vijay Rao K R is a Consultant Rheumatologist practicing at Divisha Arthritis and Medical Center in Basaveshwaranagar, Bangalore, with an additional affiliation at Manipal Hospitals. He brings 24 years of overall medical experience, of which 16 years are dedicated to rheumatology.

Dr. Rao completed his MBBS at Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute in 2002. He pursued specialist training in Internal Medicine in the West Midlands, UK, obtaining MRCP (UK) in 2009. He then undertook super-specialist training in Rheumatology, earning CCT in Rheumatology from the Royal Colleges of Physicians, London, in 2013. He also completed a fellowship in SLE and rheumatic diseases in pregnancy at the Lupus UK Center of Excellence, Birmingham, under Professor Caroline Gordon. In 2016, he was awarded FRCP from the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh.

His clinical expertise spans a broad range of rheumatic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, connective tissue diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome, and viral or post-chikungunya arthritis. He has a special interest in lupus, connective tissue disorders, and the management of rheumatic diseases during pregnancy. Dr. Rao has authored numerous articles and textbook chapters, serves as Assistant Editor for the Indian Journal of Rheumatology, and has been a sub-investigator for clinical trials in lupus and inflammatory arthritis.

Prior to his current roles, Dr. Rao worked as a Consultant Rheumatologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust in the UK (2013-2014). He joined Manipal Hospital, Bangalore, in 2015 and has been at Divisha Arthritis and Medical Center since 2017. He is a member of the Indian Rheumatology Association, British Society of Rheumatology, Indian Medical Association, and holds MRCP membership. He is registered with the Karnataka Medical Council (Registration No. 66826).