Dr. Shilpa Ravella, MD

Shilpa Ravella, MD, is a gastroenterologist writing on nutrition and inflammation at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, with rural health practice in Hilo, Hawaii in New York, New York, and Hilo, Hawaii and a leading figure in gastroenterology, nutrition and the gut microbiome. Dr. Shilpa Ravella holds the post of Transplant gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine.

She held a full-time faculty appointment at Columbia University Irving Medical Center for close to a decade and now divides her time between that appointment and rural health care in Hilo, Hawaii.

Some physicians build a clinical practice around nutrition, treating conditions such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease or digestive disorders with diet alongside conventional medical care. Dr. Shilpa Ravella practises in this way, with a focus on gastroenterology, nutrition and the gut microbiome.

Dr. Shilpa Ravella Credentials And Affiliation Details

• Full Name And Credentials: Shilpa Ravella, MD
• Profession: Gastroenterologist writing on nutrition and inflammation
• Field Of Focus: Gastroenterology, nutrition and the gut microbiome
• Current Position: Transplant gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine
• Institution: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, with rural health practice in Hilo, Hawaii
• Location: New York, New York, and Hilo, Hawaii
• Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting
• Previous Appointments: Held a full-time faculty appointment at Columbia University Irving Medical Center for close to a decade and now divides her time between that appointment and rural health care in Hilo, Hawaii

Where Dr. Shilpa Ravella Studied

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

• Undergraduate: BS in biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Medical Degree: MD, University of Pittsburgh
• Fellowship: Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America Visiting IBD Fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2013
• Specialty Training: Gastroenterology, with subspecialty experience in intestinal and multi-organ transplantation
• Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, with certification in gastroenterology

Fields Dr. Shilpa Ravella Works In

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. Shilpa Ravella as centred on:

• Chronic inflammation and its role in modern disease
• Diet, the gut microbiome and the immune system
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Intestinal failure, short bowel syndrome and intestinal transplantation
• Nutritional therapy to prevent and treat disease

Dr. Shilpa Ravella Professional Appointments

• Adjunct faculty in the Department of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
• Transplant gastroenterologist caring for patients with intestinal failure and after intestinal or multiple-organ transplantation
• Works in rural health care on Hawaii Island
• Author of A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet and Disease, published 2022
• Writes on food and health for publications including The Atlantic, New York magazine, Slate and Discover

Dr. Shilpa Ravella Awards And Distinctions

• Named a New York Times Magazine Super Doctor
• A Silent Fire was selected as a best science book by Nature and shortlisted for the Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science
• A Silent Fire was published internationally by W. W. Norton and The Bodley Head
• Her TED-Ed lesson How the Food You Eat Affects Your Gut has been viewed more than five million times

Base And Affiliation Details For Dr. Shilpa Ravella

Columbia University Irving Medical Center, with rural health practice in Hilo, Hawaii

New York, New York, and Hilo, Hawaii. Clinical commitments at this institution are arranged through its own departments and services. Confirm the current address, department and telephone number with the institution before travelling, because academic appointments and clinic sites change.

Background On Gastroenterology And Nutrition

The gut microbiome is the community of bacteria and other microbes living in the digestive tract, and it differs markedly from one person to another. Diet is one of the strongest influences on it, which is part of why two people can eat the same meal and show different blood sugar and blood fat responses. Work in this area links dietary fibre, fermented foods and plant diversity to the make up of the microbiome, and uses that to explain why one size fits all dietary advice often disappoints.

Specialists Working Alongside Dr. Shilpa Ravella In This Field

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of nutrition:

• Dr. Tim Spector, gut microbiome nutrition at King’s College London and ZOE
• Dr. Federica Amati, personalised and clinical nutrition at ZOE, Imperial College London and King’s College London
• Dr. Kevin Whelan, gastrointestinal dietetics at King’s College London
• Dr. Sarah Berry, personalised nutrition science at King’s College London and ZOE

Browse the full dietitian and nutritionist directory for more specialists.

Booking And Referral Information For Dr. Shilpa Ravella

Dr. Shilpa Ravella is a practising gastroenterologist who has cared for patients after intestinal and multiple-organ transplantation. Access is usually arranged through the institution, a referring doctor or its own clinic rather than through this directory. Insurance participation, fees and waiting times vary by institution and by plan, and they change over time, so check coverage with both the institution and your insurer before scheduling. Use the enquiry button on this page to ask about availability.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dr. Shilpa Ravella

Does Dr. Shilpa Ravella see patients?

Yes. Dr. Shilpa Ravella is a practising gastroenterologist who has cared for patients after intestinal and multiple-organ transplantation. Availability, waiting times and the services offered change, so confirm current arrangements with the institution before travelling.

What did Dr. Shilpa Ravella study?

MD, University of Pittsburgh. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. Shilpa Ravella?

Shilpa Ravella, MD. American Board of Internal Medicine, with certification in gastroenterology.

What position does Dr. Shilpa Ravella hold?

Dr. Shilpa Ravella is Transplant gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine, based at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, with rural health practice in Hilo, Hawaii.

What is Gastroenterology And Nutrition?

Gastroenterology And Nutrition is the area of nutrition science concerned with gastroenterology, nutrition and the gut microbiome. Specialists working in it, including Dr. Shilpa Ravella, study how diet relates to health and translate those findings into guidance.

Has Dr. Shilpa Ravella received professional recognition?

Yes. Named a New York Times Magazine Super Doctor. Further awards and distinctions are listed above.

Sources Used For This Profile Of Dr. Shilpa Ravella

• Columbia University Irving Medical Center
• Author profile, Penguin Random House
• TED-Ed lesson, How the Food You Eat Affects Your Gut
• Doximity verified clinician record

How This Profile Of Dr. Shilpa Ravella Was Compiled

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Update note: Held a full-time faculty appointment at Columbia University Irving Medical Center for close to a decade and now divides her time between that appointment and rural health care in Hilo, Hawaii.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Disclaimer For This Gastroenterology And Nutrition Listing

Information only, not medical or dietary advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with Columbia University Irving Medical Center, with rural health practice in Hilo, Hawaii.