Biography

Mounica Yarlagadda Rao, M.D., is a Pediatric Cardiologist at Children’s Health℠ and an Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She specializes in fetal cardiology and advanced cardiac imaging, including fetal, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Her clinical interests also include coronary artery anomalies.

“I believe caring for a child with heart disease also means caring for the entire family,” Dr. Rao says. “Whether we are diagnosing a heart condition before birth or caring for a child as they grow, I want families to feel heard, understand their child’s diagnosis and feel comfortable asking questions. My goal is to help families feel informed and supported every step of the way.”

Dr. Rao earned her medical degree from University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix. She completed her pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, followed by a fellowship in pediatric cardiology and advanced fellowship training in pediatric cardiac imaging at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine.

With a background in biomedical engineering, Dr. Rao also has a deep appreciation for how advances in cardiac imaging can help physicians better understand complex congenital heart disease and guide individualized patient care.

“I am particularly drawn to fetal cardiology because we have the unique opportunity to diagnose heart disease before birth and help families understand their baby’s condition and prepare for what lies ahead,” Dr. Rao says. “I also love that cardiac imaging brings together complex anatomy, innovative technology and collaboration to improve the care we provide.”

Her research interests include advanced cardiac imaging, fetal cardiology, coronary artery anomalies and clinical outcomes in congenital heart disease.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Rao enjoys traveling, discovering new restaurants and exploring Dallas with her husband and their rescue dog.

Biography