Joseph Clark Watson, MD| Neurosurgery, Neurological Surgery | 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
- Aneurysm
- Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
- Brain Tumor
- Meningioma
- Spine Tumor
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acoustic Neuroma
- Acromegaly
- Aneurysm
- Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
- Benign Neoplasm Of Brain And Central Nervous System
- Brain Infections
- Brain Tumor
- Cavernous Malformations
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Chiari Malformation
- Colloid Cyst
- Congenital Hydrocephalus
- Craniopharyngioma
- Cushing Syndrome
- Head Injury
- Hemifacial Spasm
- Hydrocephalus
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Meninges
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Spinal Cord
- Meningioma
- Moyamoya Disease
- Nontraumatic Brain Hemorrhage
- Oligodendroglioma
- Secondary Malignant Neoplasm Of Brain
- Spinal Avm
- Spinal Cord Compression
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Tumor
- Spondylolysis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Vascular Malformations Of The Brain
Procedures I perform
- Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion (ACDF)
- Bifrontal Craniectomy
- Cerebellar Hemorrhage Evacuation
- Cerebellum Release
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunt Revision
- Cervical Corpectomy
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Nerve Release
- Cervical Spinal Cord Release
- Cervical Vertebral Disc Excision
- Craniectomy For Abscess
- Craniectomy For Hematoma Evacuation
- Craniectomy For Meningioma
- Cranioplasty
- Interbody Biomechanical Device Insertion
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Open Brain Release
- Open Cerebellum Release
- Proton Beam Radiosurgery
- Resection Of Thoracic Vertebral Disc
- Robotic Surgery
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Tumor Surgery
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy For Brain Tumors
- Stereotactic Spinal Procedure
- Thoracic Laminectomy
- Transsphenoidal Surgery
- Vertebral Corpectomy
- Vestibular Nerve Tumor Surgery
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
8230 Boone Ave
Ste 360
Vienna, VA, 22182
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 6th Fl
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.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Choice POS II
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst EPO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- BlueChoice Open Access
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Optimum Choice
- United Student Resources
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Choice POS II Open Access
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open POS II
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Beech Street PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Medicare Direct
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- HighMark
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- TRICARE East Prime
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- IH-POS Plus
- First Health PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- First Health PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Choice POS
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-HMO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- TRICARE East Select
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Medicare FFS
- Network OA
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Navigate
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- OA Plus
- Aetna HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- IH-Indemnity
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- HealthyBlue PPO
- IH-POS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Core Essential (HMO)
- POS OA
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery
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