Meet The Cardiology Team
Abbas Chothia, MD
Dr. Chothia joined Stockton Cardiology Medical Group in 1976. He received his undergraduate education from University of Natal and his MD degree from the University of Cape Town.
Certification
2007 – University of California, Irvine School of Medicine – Cardiovascular CT level II CTA
1974 – Certification in Internal Medicine by American Board of Internal Medicine
1977 – Certification in Cardiovascular Medicine by American Board of Internal Medicine
1975 – F.L.E.X. (for state of Louisiana) aggregate score of 87.8
1975 – E.C.F.M.G. aggregate score of 84
Hospital Affiliations
St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Stockton, CA
Dameron Hospital, Stockton, CA
Mark Twain Hospital, San Andreas, CA
Postgraduate Education
1970-1971 Internship: Rotating Internship, Mercy Hospital Toledo, Ohio
1971-1973 Residency: Internal Medicine Residency, Tulane Program Veteran’s Administration Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana
1973-1975 Fellowship in Cardiology, Tulane Program V.A. Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana
Appointments
Medical Director of St. Joseph’s Medical Center
1974-1975 Chief, Medical Resident, V.A. Hospital, New Orleans, LA
1971-1972 Secretary, Housestaff Association V.A. Hospital, New Orleans, LA
1972-1974 President, Housestaff Association V.A. Hospital, New Orleans, LA
1971-1975 Clinical Instructor of Medicine, Tulane Medical School
Surrender Raina, MD
Dr. Raina joined Stockton Cardiology in 1977. Dr. Raina received his undergraduate degree from Government Medical College (M.B.B.S.) Kashmir, India. His postgraduate education and training included internship and residency in Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, Elmhurst Hospital. This was followed by his Fellowship in Cardiology at University of Pennsylvania for 2 years.
Dr. Raina has been in cardiology (invasive and non-invasive) practice for over 30 years. He has extensive experience in complex cardiovascular intervention (heart), complex peripheral (leg) interventions, and carotid (neck artery) stent procedures.
Dr. Raina was first to start the angioplasty program at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in 1984.
Certification
1975 – Certification in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine
Board Eligible in Cardiology
Hospital Affiliation
St. Joseph’s Medical Center – Stockton, CA
Dameron Hospital – Stockton, CA
David Lim, MD, FACC
Dr. Lim received his undergraduate degree from University of California, Berkley and his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York. He completed his cardiology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Lim is a native Stocktonian and returned to Stockton to join Stockton Cardiology Medical Group in 1993.
Dr. Lim is currently a member of San Joaquin Community Board.
Certification
2007 – CVCTA Education – ACC level II Coronary CTA Certification
2003 – Recertification in Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine
1993 – Certification in Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine
1989 – Certification in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine
Hospital Affiliations
St. Joseph’s Medical Center – Stockton, CA
Dameron Hospital – Stockton, CA
Mark Twain Hospital, San Andreas, CA
Fellowship
American College of Cardiology
Professional Society Affiliations
Fellow, American College of Cardiology
Personal
Dr. Lim is married and he and his wife, Charson have two children.
Rajiv Punjya, MD, FACC
Dr. Punjya joined Stockton Cardiology Medical Group in 1996. His office location is Tracy and Manteca. Dr. Punjya received his M.D. degree from Baroda Medical College, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, India. He completed his internship and residency at Wayne State University of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan. His Interventional and Cardiology Fellowship was completed at Harper Hospital, Wayne State University School of Medicine, in Detroit, Michigan.
Board Certification
2007 – American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
2006 – Cardiovascular Diseases, American Board of Internal Medicine
2006 – Cardiovascular CT Mini – Fellowship: CT training and certification
2005 – Certification in Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Internal medicine
1998 – Certification of Echocardiography
1992 – Certification in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine
1988 – Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
1988 – FLEX Examination
Hospital Affiliations
Sutter Tracy Community Hospital
Doctor’s Hospital of Manteca
St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Stockton
Fellowship
American College of Cardiology
Positions
Chief of Staff – Sutter Tracy Hospital
Chief of Medicine – Sutter Tracy
Richard Waters, MD, FACC
Dr. Waters is a native of Stockton. He joined Stockton Cardiology Medical Group in 2005. He is a graduate of Stanford University and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He subsequently completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Waters then completed his Fellowship, Interventional Cardiology at Duke University Medical Center.
Certification
2006 – University of California, Irvine School of Medicine – Cardiovascular CT Level II Certification
2005 – Certification in Interventional Cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine
2001 – Certification in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine
2004 – Certification in Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine
Hospital Affiliations
St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Stockton, CA
Dameron Hospital, Stockton, CA
Mark Twain Hospital, San Andreas, CA
Fellowship
American College of Cardiology
Personal
Married to Erica, a primary care pediatrician. Two children: Ella and Reed.
Proficient in Spanish, including extensive travel in South America.
Interest in international medicine.
Hobbies include: running, swimming, water polo, skiing, and backpacking.
Sanjeev Vaishampayan, MD, FACC
Dr. Vaishampayan joined Stockton Cardiology Medical Group in 2010. He received his undergraduate degree and medical education, respectively, from Kalamazoo College and Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Vaishampayan has been practicing clinical cardiology for over 15 years. His practice involves echocardiography, trans-esophageal echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, cardiac catheterization, and pacemaker implantation. He relocated to California in July 2010 from his previous practice in Michigan, joining Stockton cardiology Medical Group.
Certification
2010 – Fluoroscopy – California Department of Public Health
2009 – Certified in Nuclear Cardiology
2006 – Recertified in Cardiology
2008 – Re-Certification Board of Echocardiography
2001 – Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology
1998 – Certified Board of Echocardiography
1997 – Certified – American Board of Cardiology
1992 – Certified – American Board of Internal Medicine
Hospital Affiliation
St. Joseph’s Medical Center – Stockton, CA
Sutter Tracy Hospital – Tracy, CA
Doctors Hospital – Manteca, CA
Fellowship
American College of Cardiology
Personal
Married to Julie, a CDC physician. They have 4 children. Hobbies include tennis, golf, and cooking.
Ajay Ramanakumar, MD, MPH
Dr. Ramanakumar has joined Stockton Cardiology Medical Group and is on the medical staff at St. Joseph’s Medical Center.
He is committed to providing compassionate, evidence based cardiovascular care in a patient centered manner. He works closely with his patients and their family and actively involves them in the decision making process.
Certifications
Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease
Board Certified in Internal Medicine
Diplomate, Special Competence in Adult Echocardiography (ASCeXAM®)
Diplomate, Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology
Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation, ARDMS
Hospital Affiliation
St. Joseph’s Medical Center – Stockton, CA
Dameron Hospital – Stockton, CA
Fellowship
Saint Vincent Hospital, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA
Interventional Cardiology Fellow
Cardiovascular Medicine Fellow
Residency
Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, PA
Chief Resident, Dept. of Internal Medicine
Categorical Resident, Dept. of Internal Medicine
Medical Education
American College of Cardiology
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
Special Clinical Interests
Preventive Cardiology, CAD, Heart Failure
Ali Mirhosseini, MD
Dr. Mirhosseini finished his medical school at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran and then finished his residency and fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago. He worked as a general cardiologist in Chicago for one year and then joined Stockton Cardiology Medical group in 2019. He is interested in preventive cardiology, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia and lipid management.
Certification:
2018: Certification in Cardiovascular Disease by American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine
2018: Certification in Echocardiography by American Society of Echocardiography
2018: Certification in Board of Nuclear Cardiology
2014: Certification in Internal Medicine by American Board of Internal Medicine
Hospital Affiliations:
Sutter Tracy Community Hospital
Doctors Hospital of Manteca
Fellowship:
American College of Cardiology
Personal:
Married to Mansooreh, a Pathologist. Has 2 daughters, Nika and Nora.
Speaks Farsi(Persian) and English.
Hobbies: Hiking, travelling and movies