Joseph Clark Watson, MD| Neurological Surgery, 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
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Network OA
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- UHC Passport
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-HMO
- Choice POS
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-Indemnity
- Choice POS II Open Access
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Beech Street PPO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna Classic 5000
- POS OA
- Medicare Direct
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst Administrators
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- TRICARE East Prime
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna VA Exchange
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst EPO
- Navigate
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- HighMark
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-Open HMO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Medicare FFS
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna HMO
- Sentara Health
- Employee Health Plan
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- First Health PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- TRICARE for Life East
- IH-POS
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Open POS II
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- OA Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- TRICARE East Select
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
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