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
- 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
- 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 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 Location Enter your Location
106 Irving St NW
Ste 2100
Washington, DC, 20010
1133 21st St NW
Bldg 2 10th Fl
Washington, DC, 20036
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 4th Fl
Washington, DC, 20007
miles 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 Basic
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Sentara Health
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CIGNA PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Optimum Choice
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- IH-POS Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CIGNA Indemnity
- POS OA
- OA Plus
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Prime
- Navigate
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open HMO Option
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna HMO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- HumanaChoice PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-Network Only Plus
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna VA Exchange
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Medicare Direct
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- IH-POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Network OA
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Choice POS
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- TRICARE for Life East
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst EPO
- HighMark
- IH-Open HMO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- First Health PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- IH-Open POS II
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- TRICARE East Select
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Student Resources
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)