Dr. C.B. Rao

ISHPEMING — After 42 years of serving the Upper Peninsula at UP Health System – Bell, Dr. C.B. Rao, Pediatrician, is retiring effective July 17, 2020.

Dr. Rao earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Hindu College in Masula, India, before receiving his Doctor of Medicine from Guntur Medical College in Guntur, India. He then went on to complete his Pediatric Residency at Safdarjang Hospital in New Delhi, India, and Tulsa Medical College in Tulsa, OK. He also served as the Chief Resident of Pediatrics at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois from 1977 to 1978.

“My favorite thing about working with pediatric patients is being able to see them recover and be well overall, it’s very rewarding. Watching them grow up is also very rewarding,” said Dr. Rao.

Dr. Rao is board-certified in Pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics. He was a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is currently a member of the American Medical Association and Michigan State Medical Society.

“I’ve enjoyed working very much, and I continue to enjoy it even now,” Dr. Rao said. “I love the administration and CEO, Mitch Leckelt. The hospital is being run smoothly and efficiently for our patients and community.”

Dr. Rao started working for Bell Memorial Hospital in 1978 and has been with the organization through a location change in 2008 and a name change in 2013 to become UP Health System – Bell after the hospital was acquired by LifePoint Health. He has been a well-respected and dedicated pediatric provider at UPHS – Bell for over four decades.

“My favorite memory was when the hospital moved from the old location to the new location,” Dr. Rao said. “When the first baby was born, I was the pediatric physician. The first patient in the hospital was also my pediatric patient, so those two things have made for really unique experiences and I was happy to start in the new hospital with the first patient and the first baby. The baby got a scholarship for their education from the Bell baby scholarship, too.”

UPHS – Bell offers a full-spectrum of pediatric services that Dr. Rao has provided, including well-child exams, circumcision, developmental assessment, behavioral problems, food and feeding education, infant sleeping positions, immunizations, rehabilitation, asthma management, allergy injections, nutrition counseling, and more.

“I was really happy here and wanted to continue seeing pediatric patients because I love the children and the community. The administration, hospital board, medical staff, hospital staff, they were all so good to me,” Dr. Rao said. “It’s a positive thing, I did not get bored or burned out. I know I’m going to miss that because I’m not working anymore. I was happy to be part of UP Health System.”

We wish Dr. Rao well in his future endeavors and thank him for his exceptional care that he has provided to the community over the past 42 years.

“I would like to thank the community and hospital for giving me the opportunity to provide care for our children,” Dr. Rao said on his retirement from UPHS – Bell.