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Tsegaw Egziti, MD, is a Consultant Nephrologist at Houston Kidney Specialists Center, which has four locations throughout Houston and Cypress, Texas. Dr. Egziti, was born in Ethiopia and graduated from Medical School at Gondar University, Ethiopia in 2005. He then moved to the United States and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Austin Regional Program. 

Once he achieved his Diplomate in Internal Medicine, Dr. Egziti knew nephrology deeply interested him and he has remained passionate about it throughout his career. Dr. Egziti subsequently sought and was selected for a nephrology fellowship position at the highly reputed University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas. After completing his fellowship, he practiced Nephrology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before relocating to the warm weather of Houston, Texas. He chose to join Houston Kidney Specialists Center (HKSC) in 2019 as he was looking for a group of hardworking, young, dynamic physicians, all of whom had trained in well-acclaimed universities. In addition, the group strongly shared his vision and belief of just not having the knowledge, but applying it, every day in their practice with tremendous care and compassion.

He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) in both internal medicine and nephrology. He has been part of various committees, including the Critical Care Committee and Pharmacy and Therapeutics committees. Dr. Egziti’s patients have often expressed that they regard him as a very compassionate and caring physician who lays a strong emphasis on medical care to improve quality of life. He has established himself in the community as an endearing physician with his pleasant nature. Dr. Egziti’s expertise in nephrology is consistently sought after by physicians, nurse practitioners, patients, and their families alike, for his immense knowledge, communication skills, and the empathetic care that he renders. 

Outside of work, he enjoys reading, sports, playing guitar and piano, as well as spending time with his beautiful family.

Ghayyath Sultan, MD, is the Vice President and co-founder of Houston Kidney Specialists Center, which has four locations – two in Cypress and two in Houston, Texas. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) in both internal medicine and nephrology.   Dr. Sultan obtained his medical degree at the University of Tishreen and completed a 4-year residency program in internal medicine at the University of Damascus in Syria before moving to the United States. He completed his residency in internal medicine at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center/Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. After residency, he joined Cleveland Clinic Foundation as an attending physician. During his time at Cleveland Clinic, he served as assistant professor of medicine at Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine, where he was involved in teaching and supervising the residents of the internal medicine residency program. Ultimately, he pursued his dream of becoming a nephrologist and completed his nephrology fellowship at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he was honored with the outstanding graduating fellow award upon completing his fellowship in 2015 for his exemplary performance during his training.   Dr. Sultan’s passion for nephrology is demonstrated in the profound knowledge he has in managing the intricacies of kidney diseases and through his communications with staff, colleagues, and patients. He values the long-term bonds he builds with his patients and their families throughout their lives, emphasizing strategies and treatments that will keep them healthy. It is impossible not to feel Dr. Sultan’s love for his work when you witness his optimism and lively energy in caring for patients.   Outside of work, he enjoys playing and watching basketball and soccer in his free time. He and his wife are blessed with two wonderful kids.  

Jonathan Pankow, MD, is one of the skilled nephrologists practicing at Houston Kidney Specialists Center (HKSC), which has four locations – two in Cypress and two in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Pankow was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, by two parent-physicians. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry with Summa Cum Laude honors at Baylor University in 2010. He then returned to Kansas, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine at Kansas University School of Medicine in 2014 and was elected into the AΩA honor society. He then completed a subsequent residency in internal medicine at KU Medicine-Wichita from 2014-2017, during which he earned outstanding PGY-1 and PGY-2 awards and served as PGY-3 Chief Resident. 

After working with sound hospitalists in his hometown, Dr. Pankow returned south to Houston, Texas, where he completed his nephrology fellowship at UT Houston from 2018-2020. In recognition of his leadership qualities, excellent communication skills among his colleagues, and compassionate care to his patients, Dr. Pankow was made the Chief Fellow. He strongly believes that having the most current knowledge and diligently coordinating with medical team members are paramount in providing the best possible care for his patients just as he would his own family and friends. He joined HKSC in July 2020, seeking a team of doctors with a similar philosophy of patient care.

Dr. Pankow enjoys spending time with his wife – an infectious disease specialist – and his daughter and son. He is an avid runner and enjoys fitness with a focus on calisthenics in his spare time. He qualified for the Boston Marathon and remains competitive in running and fitness.

Devaraj Munikrishnappa, MD, is the co-founder and President of Houston Kidney Specialists Center, which has four locations – two in Cypress and two in Houston, Texas. He is board certified in internal medicine and nephrology, and he oversees the company’s administrative, clinical, and business operations. 

Dr. Devaraj has held several leadership positions, including medical director at many dialysis units and nursing homes, the Vice Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, and the Chair of the Medical Informatics Committee, both at Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital. Dr. Devaraj has many publications in professional journals, including in the acclaimed Seminars in Dialysis and an online chapter publication on the American Society of Nephrology website.

Dr. Devaraj began the journey of his medical career in India in 1987, at the young age of 18. After completing medical school at Bangalore University in India and a residency in internal medicine at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in New York, he practiced internal medicine and geriatric medicine for five years. In 2005, Dr. Devaraj was delighted when he was chosen for a fellowship in geriatric medicine at the prestigious St. Louis University School of Medicine. Subsequently, Dr. Devaraj was accepted for a fellowship position in nephrology - the field that he had developed a strong penchant for in his academic career because it necessitates analytical thinking. Upon completion of his fellowship in nephrology in 2009, Dr. Devaraj moved to Houston – a city that resembled his hometown, Bangalore - to begin his practice in nephrology. A decade later, Dr. Devaraj, along with Dr. Ghayyath Sultan, successfully launched their own company called Houston Kidney Specialists Center in March of 2019 in Northwest Houston, Texas. The sole goal of launching the company was and continues to be, to provide excellent, patient-oriented care that would make a positive and transformative difference in each of their lives. Dr. Devaraj is very particular about taking time to ensure his patients understand their medical conditions in the simplest of terms and to their desired satisfaction, regardless of any barriers, such as language.

In his free time, Dr. Devaraj enjoys watching an enticing game of cricket or a thrilling action movie with his family as well as going on walks with his wife. He is proficient in multiple languages, including Hindi, Kannada, and English.

Mohamed Sheta, MD, FASN, FASDIN, is an award-winning nephrologist at Houston Kidney Specialists Center (HKSC), which has multiple locations in Houston and Cypress, Texas.He strives to reach more of the community as one of the few nephrologists nationwide specializing in minimally invasive surgical procedures. Dr. Sheta can perform percutaneous peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion, percutaneous arteriovenous fistula creation, and many other minimally invasive dialysis access surgeries.

Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, Dr. Sheta received his medical degree from the University of Cairo, Egypt, and moved to the United States in 2009 for his nephrology fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He eventually became a research fellow with Houston Methodist at Texas Medical Center. He has also trained with the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology (ASDIN) Training Program at the Dialysis Access Institute in Orangeburg, South Carolina, which is touted as one of the most prestigious dialysis access training programs worldwide. He eventually became the director of their interventional training program and has taught many interventional nephrologists from around the world special techniques.

Multi-faceted and passionate, Dr. Sheta has earned several awards, including the Ellen Cosgrove, MD, Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine. He has publications in several medical journals, including the Journal of Vascular Access, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. He is board-certified by the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology, the American Board of Nephrology, the American Society of Hypertension, and the American Board of Internal Medicine. He serves on the board of ASDIN and is a regular speaker for other national and international leading organizations that care for dialysis patients.

Ali Arslan Aftab Ahmed, MD Nephrology, Transplant Nephrology, and Hypertension Dr. Ali A. Ahmed is a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Nephrology with over 10 years of clinical experience. He earned his medical degree from King Edward Medical University, completed his Internal Medicine residency in New York City, and practiced in Indiana, where he also served as Medical Director of the Hospitalist Program. In 2019, he moved to Houston for Nephrology training at UTHealth and pursued advanced training in Transplant Nephrology at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. Dr. Ahmed is highly respected by patients and peers for his personalized, evidence-based care focused on long-term kidney health and quality of life. He emphasizes prevention and patient education in managing chronic kidney disease, dialysis, transplant care, and hypertension. Outside of work, he enjoys time with family, travel, hiking, and trying new cuisines. He is also a fan of American football.

 

Sayed Ahmed, MD, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained internal medicine physician at the Renal Clinic of Houston in Katy, Memorial City, and North Cypress, Texas.

Dr. Ahmed earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Houston in Texas. He then traveled to the Caribbean to earn his doctorate at the Saba University School of Medicine in The Bottom, Saba, Dutch Caribbean.  He received specialized training in dialysis modalities, including hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and continuous renal replacement therapies during his fellowship at Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center in Houston. He also received extensive fellowship training in the care of cancer patients with kidney disease and injury at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

A diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Ahmed maintains Texas and Louisiana state medical licenses and is a member of the American Society of Nephrology and the American College of Physicians.

Dr. Ahmed enjoys table tennis, badminton, cricket, music, and traveling. He speaks English, Urdu, Hindi, Sindhi, and Punjabi.

 

Dr. Sheetal Golla completed her medical school at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia in 2003. After graduation, she relocated to Chicago, Illinois where she received her training in Internal Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. She subsequently completed her fellowship in the Section of Nephrology at Rush University Medical Center, where she published her work on Lupus Nephritis based on the MDRD estimated GFR under Dr Edmund J. Lewis and Dr Steven Korbet. Dr Golla was in private practice for a couple of years in Chicago until she moved to Houston, Texas with her husband. She joined Renal Clinic of Houston in April 2014. She is also a member of the American Society of Nephrology.

Dr. Golla is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) as a Diplomate in Nephrology.

Rupi Chatha, MD, is a board-certified nephrologist at Renal Clinic of Houston in Cypress and Methodist Willowbrook.

After completing medical school, internship, and residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Chatha completed her nephrology training at the University of Colorado with a year of clinical research in Polycystic Kidney Disease.

She began her nephrology practice in Houston in 1999. She is board-certified in Nephrology and has served as medical director for several dialysis clinics, earning a 5-Star rating by CMS for achieving the highest quality standards in care delivery. She has also been a principal investigator in several clinical research trials.

Dr. Chatha is passionate about disease prevention, care coordination for patients with complex illnesses, and patient education. She empowers her patients to take control of their kidney health for the best outcomes.

Outside of work, Dr. Chatha enjoys skiing, hiking, long walks with her golden retriever, traveling with her family, and nurturing her rose garden.

Specialties: Nephrology and Internal Medicine

Internship & Residency: Parkland Hospital and University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas – 1996

Fellowship: Nephrology Fellowship, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado – 1999

Medical Education: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas

Memberships & Affiliations: The American Society of Nephrology, The Renal Physicians Association

 

Rajiv Lal, MD, is a nephrology specialist. He joined Renal Clinic of Houston in 2006 and is affiliated with several medical facilities in northwest Houston.

Dr. Lal graduated from India’s premier institute All India Institute of Medical Sciences. He received his training in Internal Medicine and Nephrology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and has since made Houston his home. Dr. Lal speaks English, Hindi, and Spanish and is well-positioned to treat a variety of patients.

Dr. Lal has served as Chief of Medicine at North Cypress Medical Center Hospital. He currently serves as President of Medical Staff and Director of Dialysis Services at Kindred Northwest.

Dr. Lal is a member of the Critical Care Committee, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and Quality Utilization Committee at NCMC Hospital. Dr. Lal also served as an Alternate Delegate for the House of Delegates at Harris County Medical Society.

Dr. Lal is an avid bicyclist and runner. He has completed several marathons and has bicycled the prestigious TourDuRouge from Houston to New Orleans.

 

Dr. Krishna Raman is a senior partner of the Renal Clinic of Houston (RCH). He became a practicing Nephrologist at Renal Clinic of Houston in 2002. Dr. Raman is a graduate of Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, which is among the top 10 medical schools in India. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at The University of Delhi in 1989. He then completed his residency in the State University of New York at Buffalo in Internal Medicine from 1993-1995. He was a Chief Resident in the State University of New York at Buffalo from 1995-1998. He then joined Internal Medicine Practice in Rural Western NY State from 1996-2000. After 4 years of practicing Internal Medicine, Dr. Raman completed his fellowship at Loyola University Medical and the VA Hospital in Chicago, IL from July of 2000 to June 2002.

Dr. Raman is board certified by American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) as a Diplomate in Nephrology.

 

Dr. Alicia Romero is a Spanish – English bilingual native of Venezuela. She completed her medical school at the University of Zulia in Venezuela in 2001. After her graduation, she relocated to Galveston, Texas, where she received her training in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch. She completed her fellowship in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at the University of Texas at Houston. During her fellowship she published several manuscripts. She joined Renal Clinic of Houston in October 2012.

Dr. Romero has her medical license in Texas and she is a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians and American Society of Nephrology.

Dr. Romero is board certified by American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) as a Diplomate in Nephrology.

 

Dr. Mukesh Sinha is a native Houstonian and completed his undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University in 2000. He is a 2004 graduate of The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX. After his graduation, he relocated to Rochester, Minnesota, where he received his training in Internal Medicine at the internationally renowned Mayo Clinic. He remained at Mayo Clinic to complete his fellowship in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension. During his fellowship he published several manuscripts and was appointed as Instructor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Medicine. He was honored with the Clinical Fellow of the Year Award for academic year 2009-2010. He joined Renal Clinic of Houston in 2010.

Dr. Sinha has his medical license in Minnesota and Texas. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, American Society of Nephrology and Renal Physicians Association.

Dr. Sinha is board certified by American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) as a Diplomate in Nephrology.

 

Dr. Rahul Prakash is the founder and President of Renal Clinic of Houston (RCH) since its inception in 1999. He is currently practicing out of Memorial, Spring Branch, Katy and Cypress, Texas. He has been in practice since 1994 after he finished his fellowship training in Nephrology from the Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, TX.                        

He is a graduate of Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi India, after which he did his residency training in Internal Medicine from Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) affiliated Hospitals in Canton, OH.

He has served as a Chief of Staff at MH- Katy Rehabilitation Hospital, and Chief of the Department of Medicine in MH-Katy Medical Center. He is currently the Medical Director of Davita Pin Oak and Davita Horizon Dialysis Centers. He has been the recipient of the 5 star Physician Awards from the USFHP.

He has participated in the Bridge of Life (part of Davita Village Trust) mission to India, which helped in establishing three non-for-profit dialysis clinics in the Western Province of India. He helped in training of foreign physicians to run the dialysis clinics in their native countries and also in the teaching of foreign medical students.

He is a member of American Society of Nephrology (ASN), Renal Physician Association (RPA), Harris County Medical Society (HCMS), Texas Medical Association (TMA), and The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). He has authored research papers in some reputed Medical Journals, including American Journal of Kidney Disease (AJKD) and American Journal of Hypertension (AJH).

Dr.Prakash is board certified by American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) as a Diplomate in Nephrology.

 

Hemanth Hampole, MD, is a board-certified nephrologist at Renal Clinic of Houston in Katy and Memorial City, Texas.

Dr. Hampole earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree with honors at J.J.M Medical College in Davangere, India. He then moved to Chicago, Illinois to complete an internal medicine residency at Cook County hospital and served as chief medical resident at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Hampole then fulfilled a nephrology fellowship at the University of Illinois in Chicago where he also served as a chief fellow. In addition to General nephrology, he also specializes in Interventional Nephrology - performing minimally invasive procedures such as dialysis access management and catheter placements.

Dr. Hampole is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. He is a member of the American Society of Nephrology, Renal physicians Association and American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology.

When he’s not assisting patients at the Renal Clinic, Dr. Hampole enjoys running,  hiking and wildlife photography. He is fluent in English, Hindi, and Kannada.

 

Dr. Shalin Patel, MD, is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine as a Diplomate in nephrology. He joined Renal Clinic of Houston in Katy, Memorial City, and North Cypress, Texas, in 2008. He is currently practicing out of Katy, Memorial and Sealy, Texas.

Although he was not born in Texas, Dr. Patel moved to Houston when he was quite young and considers Houston his hometown. After graduating from Westfield High School up in the north part of Houston, he received his undergraduate degree in biology from Tulane University.

He subsequently returned back to Texas and went to medical school at the University of Texas medical school at Galveston. After completing school, Dr. Patel went up to Chicago and trained at Northwestern University, where he completed both his internal medicine residency and fellowship in nephrology.

Dr. Patel remains an active medical staff member at several of the hospitals he practices at. In addition, over the years, he has truly enjoyed mentoring students, as evidenced by the multiple teaching awards he received as a resident. He was one of two physicians to receive the 2005 fellow of the year award at Northwestern University, as nominated by his peers, for his passion and dedication to teaching. He continues to mentor students when his schedule allows for.

Outside of work, he remains a huge fan of football and basketball. He also enjoys reading and watching movies to help unwind after a long work day.