About me
Dr. Mesfin is an experienced fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopaedic spine surgeon. He is also the Vice Chair of Research for the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute in the Washington DC region. He was formerly a Professor of Orthopedics, Neurosurgery and Chief of Spine Surgery at the University of Rochester in New York. He completed his Orthopaedic Residency training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and his Adult and Pediatric Spine Surgery training at the Washington University in St. Louis.
He has served in committee and leadership roles in several organizations including: Cervical Spine Research Society, Scoliosis Research Society, Lumbar Spine Research Society, North American Spine Society, American Orthopaedic Association, J Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society.
He is a member of AO Spine Oncology Knowledge Forum and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor medical society.
He has been honored as a recepient of competitive and prestigious awards including he American Orthopaedic Association-American British Canadian Traveling Fellowship, Cervical Spine Research Society Traveling Fellowship and Scoliosis Research Society Traveling Fellowship.
His areas of special interest, expertise, and research include:
- Benign and malignant primary spine tumors and metastatic spine disease
- Adult scoliosis/Kyphosis
- Spinal stenosis/Disc herniations
- Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL)
- Spine trauma
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Cervical disc replacement and laminoplasty
An active and widely published researcher, he has published more than 200 book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Neurosurgery Spine, Spine, and Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. He has also been an invited lecturer in more than 15 countries. He has been awarded grant support for his research focusing on spine surgery outcomes.
The focus of Dr. Mesfin’s approach to caring for patients includes educating patients and their families about their diagnoses and options using the latest research so they can be partners in decisions about their care. Before recommending surgery, he exhausts all other treatment options. Dr. Mesfin is fluent in English, French, and Amharic.
He served in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps in the U.S. and Afghanistan (as a member of a Forward Surgical Team), reaching the rank of major.
When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with family, traveling, long distance running, and tennis.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
- Vertebral Compression Fracture Treatment
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdomen, Lower Back, Pelvis, And Genital Injury
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Benign Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage
- Benign Tumor
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bone Disorders
- Bursopathy
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Cervical Spine Instability
- Congenital Malformations Of Spine And Bony Thorax
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Foraminal Stenosis
- Fractures Of The Neck
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Head Injury
- Herniated Nucleus Pulposus
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Intraspinal Granuloma
- Joint Disorder
- Kyphosis
- Limb Deformity
- Lordosis
- Lower Leg And Ankle Fracture
- Lower Leg Injury
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Myelopathy
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Muscle Disorders
- Musculoskeletal System Complications
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Neck Sprain
- Nerve Root Disorders
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Osteoporosis
- Paralytic Syndrome
- Presence Of Functional Implants
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Sacral Spine Fracture
- Scoliosis
- Shoulder Burns
- Skull Base Tumor
- Skull Fractures
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Osteoporosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
- Thoracic Radiculopathy
- Thoracic Spine Instability
Procedures I perform
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Spine Stabilization
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Discectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Fibula Osteotomy
- Flap Surgery
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Laminotomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Lumbar Spine Stabilization
- Lumbar Traction
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Microdiscectomy
- Osteoporosis Prevention Treatment
- Osteotomy
- Percutaneous Discectomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Balance Restoration
- Spinal Cord Tumor Treatment
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fracture Stabilization
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spine Infection Treatment
- Spondylolysis Treatment
- Vertebral Body Replacement
- Vertebral Compression Fracture Treatment
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
106 Irving St NW
POB Ste 5000
Washington, DC, 20010
11915 Georgia Ave
Wheaton, MD, 20902
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
G-PHC
Washington, DC, 20007
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.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- POS OA
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- First Health PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst Administrators
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- IH-POS
- Choice POS II
- Network OA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Basic
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst NASCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- UHC Passport
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open HMO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Beech Street PPO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Medicare FFS
- Choice POS
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- IH-POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CIGNA EPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Sentara Health
- MultiPlan, Inc
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- OA Plus
- TRICARE East Select
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- IH-HMO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-Open POS II
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Navigate
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Student Resources
- Choice Fund PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- HighMark
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Fellowship: Washington University School of Medicine (2012)
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2011)
Medical School: Drexel University (2006)
Awards
- Washingtonian Top Doc 2025