Dr. Punitha Shivaprasad is an advanced therapeutic gastroenterologist and is the cofounder of Premier GI, a division of Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey (GANJ). She has the distinction of starting two therapeutic endoscopy programs: one at Robert Wood Johnson (RJW) Barnabas in Hamilton, NJ, in 2015 and one at Virtua at Lourdes in Camden in 2021. She currently practices at Virtua as well as at the Premier GI offices.
Dr. Shivaprasad completed her three-year gastroenterology fellowship at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where she also served her residency. Dr. Shivaprasad earned her doctor of osteopathy degree from the University of New England College of Medicine in Maine with honors.
In addition to these studies, Dr. Shivaprasad completed a year of Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy fellowship at Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, D.C, where she received expert training in the treatment of biliary tract disease including bile duct stones and bile duct cancers. She continues to use advanced techniques called ERCP and Cholangioscopy to treat these complex conditions and employs an innovative technique called Endoscopic Ultrasound for the early detection and staging of pancreatic, esophageal and stomach cancers. Dr. Shivaprasad is also experienced in placing metal stents into esophagus, bile ducts, and small and large intestines, and has received additional training in the drainage of fluid collection in the pancreas.
Dr. Shivaprasad was named the Director of Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy at RWJ Barnabas at Hamilton, NJ, where she was instrumental in setting up the institution’s first endoscopic ultrasound program. She was recognized by the staff of this department for her excellent teaching ability and was invited to give many talks, including the state level conference of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses Association.
Currently, Dr. Shivaprasad is affiliated with Penn Medicine at Princeton in Plainsboro, NJ; RWJ Barnabas in Hamilton, NJ; Virtua at Lourdes in Camden, NJ; and the Mercer County Surgery Center in Lawrenceville, NJ.
