About me
Sara Berkey, MD, is a fellowship-trained colorectal surgeon at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She specializes in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of benign and malignant disorders of the colon, rectum, and anus.
Dr. Berkey’s treatment methods involve both medical and surgical (in-office and operating room) techniques. She is specialty trained and certified to perform minimally invasive robotic surgery using the da Vinci® robotic surgery system. Robotic surgery reduces pain and discomfort, and therefore narcotic use; reduces recovery time; and allows patients to go home sooner, compared to traditional open surgical techniques.
Her clinical interests include improving the quality of life for patients with inflammatory bowel disease and pelvic floor conditions and treating young people with colorectal cancer. Her research interests include improving enhanced surgical recovery pathways to help improve patient outcomes. Dr. Berkey is passionate about increasing colon cancer screening rates in the African American population, the highest risk racial/ethnic group for colorectal cancer in the U.S.
Dr. Berkey received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine, where she was named Valedictorian of her class and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She then completed a seven-year general surgery residency program, including two years of dedicated research time, with the University of Pittsburgh before joining MedStar Washington Hospital Center for a specialty fellowship in colon and rectal surgery. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons, and the Association of Women Surgeons.
Dr. Berkey enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, biking, and spending time on the water.
Philosophy of Care
“The foundation of providing excellent care is a strong patient-physician relationship built on empathy, clear communication, and collaboration. From the very first time I meet my patients, I take the time to listen to their concerns and understand what their goals are for treatment. I emphasize teamwork between myself and my patients, as well as between myself and my colleagues, in order to provide the best possible care to my patients.
I feel honored when my patients say that they would recommend me to their friends and family.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Abdominoperineal Resection
- Anal Abscess
- Anal Fissures
- Bowel Obstruction
- Colon Cancer Surgery
- Crohn's Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Enterocele Repair
- Hemorrhoids
- Laparoscopic Colectomy
- Open Colectomy
- Perianal Surgery
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Cancer Surgery
- Sigmoid Colectomy
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Vaginal Fistula
- Vaginal Wall Prolapse
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdomen, Lower Back, Pelvis, And Genital Open Wound
- Abnormal Digestive Findings
- Accessory Sinuses Cancer
- Anal Abscess
- Anal Cancer
- Anal Fissures
- Anal Venous Thrombosis
- Anus And Rectum Diseases
- Artificial Openings Complications
- Benign Neoplasm Of Skin
- Bladder Disorders
- Bladder Incontinence
- Bowel Obstruction
- Carcinoma In Situ Of Digestive Organs
- Colon Cancer
- Colon Polyps
- Colonic Diverticulosis
- Colonic Polyps
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Congenital Malformations Of Intestine
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease [Regional Enteritis]
- Cutaneous Abscess
- Digestive System Complications
- Diverticulitis
- Female Genital Tract Fistulae
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gallbladder Disease
- Gastric Cancer
- Hemorrhoids
- Hemorrhoids And Perianal Venous Thrombosis
- Incisional Hernia
- Paracolostomy Hernia
- Perianal Fistula
- Perianal Itching
- Perianal Pain
- Pilonidal Cyst
- Pruritus
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Fissure
- Rectal Pain
- Spinal Stenosis
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Vaginal Fistula
- Vaginal Itching
- Vaginal Wall Prolapse
- Ventral Hernia
Procedures I perform
- Abdominoperineal Resection
- Anal Canal Reconstruction
- Anal Fistula Treatment
- Colectomy
- Colon Cancer Surgery
- Colonoscopy
- Colostomy
- Colostomy Revision
- Endorectal Advancement Flap
- Enterectomy
- Enterocele Repair
- Enteroscopy
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- J-Pouch Surgery
- Laparoscopic Colectomy
- Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy
- Open Colectomy
- Perianal Surgery
- Rectal Cancer Surgery
- Rectal Stricture Dilation
- Robotic Colpopexy
- Sigmoid Colectomy
- Small Bowel Resection
- Stoma Revision
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 4th Fl Washington, DC, 20007
202-877-4599miles away
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
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- MultiPlan, Inc
- United Healthcare Choice
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Choice POS
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- HighMark
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Network OA
- POS OA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Medicare FFS
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Choice POS II
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst Administrators
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst EPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Sentara Health
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Medicare Direct
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- IH-HMO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Navigate
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Employee Health Plan
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Prime
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Optimum Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Tricare Reserve Select
- United Student Resources
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst NASCO
- IH-Indemnity
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- OA Plus
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- HealthyBlue PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS II
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- IH-POS
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery, Colon and Rectal Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Surgery, General Surgery
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2020)
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2019)
Medical School: Tulane University (2012)