Joseph Clark Watson, MD| Neurosurgery | MedStar Health
About me
A senior neurosurgeon and professor of Neurosurgery at Georgetown University, Dr. Watson leads the Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Watson earned his Bachelor of Science at Stanford University and his medical degree at the University of California, San Diego. He completed his neurosurgical residency at the Medical College of Virginia (now V.C.U.) in Richmond. Dr. Watson was fellowship trained at the National Institutes of Health in pituitary surgery and cerebrovascular research/surgery. He brings the wisdom of “those pioneers in neurosurgery from both coasts who instructed me” to bear on his patients here at MGUH.
Clinical areas of focus
- Brain Tumor
- Cerebral Internal Carotid Artery Ophthalmic Segment Aneurysm Coiling
- Hydrocephalus
- Posterior Fossa Craniotomy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Aneurysm
- Benign Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage
- Benign Neoplasm Of Brain And Central Nervous System
- Benign Tumor
- Blindness And Low Vision
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Disorders
- Brain Tumor
- Bursopathy
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Congenital Hydrocephalus
- Congenital Malformations Of Peripheral Vascular System
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Head Injury
- Hemangioma
- Hydrocephalus
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Intraspinal Granuloma
- Kyphosis
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Endocrine Glands
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Eye And Adnexa
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Meninges
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Spinal Cord
- Meningioma
- Meningitis
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Nontraumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Omphalocele
- Paralytic Syndrome
- Parkinson's Disease
- Scoliosis
- Secondary Malignant Neoplasm Of Brain
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spine Tumor
- Spondylopathies
- Vascular Malformations Of The Brain
Procedures I perform
- Bifrontal Craniectomy
- Cerebellar Hemorrhage Evacuation
- Cerebellum Release
- Cerebral Internal Carotid Artery Ophthalmic Segment Aneurysm Coiling
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunt Revision
- Cervical Corpectomy
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Nerve Release
- Cervical Spinal Cord Release
- Cervical Vertebral Disc Excision
- Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
- Craniectomy For Abscess
- Craniectomy For Hematoma Evacuation
- Craniectomy For Meningioma
- Cranioplasty
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Dura Mater Supplement
- Excision Of Cerebral Ventricle
- Excision Of Spinal Meninges
- Interbody Biomechanical Device Insertion
- Intraoperative Neurophysiology Monitoring
- Lumboperitoneal Shunt
- Microdissection
- Open Brain Release
- Open Cerebellum Release
- Parkinson's Disease
- Posterior Fossa Craniotomy
- Proton Beam Radiosurgery
- Resection Of Thoracic Vertebral Disc
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy For Brain Tumors
- Stereotactic Spinal Procedure
- Subclavian Artery Extirpation
- Thoracic Aorta To Carotid Artery Bypass With Synthetic Substitute
- Thoracic Laminectomy
- Thoracic Nerve Release
- Venous Access Device Removal
- Vertebral Corpectomy
- Vestibular Nerve Tumor Surgery
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 6th Fl Washington, DC, 20007
703-748-1000Fax 703-748-1010
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- MultiPlan, Inc
- First Health PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- HighMark
- CIGNA EPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Core Essential (HMO)
- POS OA
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Employee Health Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Sentara Health
- IH-Open HMO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Choice POS II
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Beech Street PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst EPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-HMO
- TRICARE East Prime
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- UHC Passport
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- United Student Resources
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Healthcare Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Network OA
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-Network Only Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Choice POS
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- IH-PPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Medicare FFS
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna HMO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Navigate
- Aetna Basic
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- OA Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-POS Plus
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Medicare Direct
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- IH-POS
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- IH-Indemnity
- TRICARE for Life East
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Choice Fund PPO
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
Education
Board Certification: ,
Fellowship: National Institutes of Health (1999)
Residency: Virginia Commonwealth University Neuroimaging Fellowship (1997)
Internship: VCU School of Medicine (1992)
Medical School: University of California San Diego (1991)
Awards
- Washingtonian Top Doc 2025