About me
Caren Palese, MD, is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. She is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Palese completed her undergraduate studies at Princeton University and received her medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a three-year Gastroenterology fellowship at Georgetown University Medical Center.
Since 2014, she has been consistently chosen by her peers to be a Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Doc. She has been awarded the annual distinction of Castle Connolly Top Doctor since 2016. In addition, she has received the Castle Connolly Exceptional Women in Medicine Award. She was selected by the Washington Post Magazine to be a Rising Star in 2013.
Dr. Palese uses progressive techniques to diagnose and treat many esophageal disorders, such as GERD, eosinophilic esophagitis and Barrett’s esophagus. She is an expert in diseases of swallowing.
For the most effective care and optimal outcomes for her patients, Dr. Palese takes a multidisciplinary approach and often works closely with a team of specialists. In addition to her expertise in swallowing disorders, Barrett’s esophagus and gastrointestinal motility disorders, Dr. Palese performs precise screening colonoscopies for detecting colon cancer and flat polyps.
Beyond her passion for her work, Dr. Palese enjoys speaking German, running and skiing.
Clinical areas of focus
- Enteroscopy
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In Children
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) With Infection
- Intestinal Dysmotility
- Intestinal Stenosis
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Stomach Ulcers
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Distension
- Abdominal Pain
- Abnormal Stool
- Achalasia
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Alimentary Tract Foreign Body
- Anal Fissures
- Anus And Rectum Diseases
- Aphagia
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Appendiceal Cancer
- Benign Neoplasm Of Colon, Rectum, Anus And Anal Canal
- Biliary Tract Disease
- Bowel Obstruction
- Carcinoma In Situ Of Digestive Organs
- Celiac Disease
- Choledocholithiasis
- Chronic Constipation
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colitis
- Colon Cancer
- Colon Disease
- Colon Polyps
- Colonoscopy
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease [Regional Enteritis]
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Digestive System Cancer
- Digestive System Complications
- Digestive System Diseases
- Digestive System Symptoms
- Diseases Of Esophagus
- Diseases Of Stomach And Duodenum
- Diverticular Disease
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Duodenitis
- Dysphagia
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophagitis
- Esophagus Diseases
- External Hemorrhoids
- Flatulence
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gastric Cancer
- Gastric Varices
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) In Children
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hemangioma
- Hemorrhoids
- Hepatomegaly And Splenomegaly
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) With Infection
- Intestinal Dysmotility
- Intestinal Infections
- Intestinal Stenosis
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Liver Encephalopathy
- Liver Fibrosis
- Malabsorption
- Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumors
- Noninfective Gastroenteritis
- Pancreatic Diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Paralytic Ileus And Intestinal Obstruction
- Perianal Pain
- Peripheral Vascular Disease Of The Intestines
- Polycystic Liver Disease
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Pain
- Regional Enteritis
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Stomach And Duodenum Diseases
- Stomach Cancer
- Stomach Diseases
- Stomach Ulcers
- Ulcerative Colitis
Procedures I perform
- Capsule Endoscopy
- Colon Biopsy
- Colonoscopy With Injection
- Diarrhea Treatment
- EGD With Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- Enteroscopy
- Enteroscopy With Bleeding Control
- Esophageal Dilation
- Esophageal PH Monitoring
- Flexible Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Gastric Manometry
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Test
- Gastrointestinal Biopsy
- Gastrointestinal Motility Study
- Gastrointestinal Tube Placement
- Gastrostomy Tube Replacement
- Hemorrhage Control
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Lower Gi Endoscopy
- Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
- Stent Placement
- Transrectal Ultrasound
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
- Variceal Band Ligation
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
Main Bldg 2nd 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.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- IH-EPO Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- United Student Resources
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- First Health PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- TRICARE East Select
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- Beech Street PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- IH-PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Sentara Health
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst EPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- HighMark
- POS OA
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst Administrators
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- IH-Open POS II
- CIGNA PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst NASCO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- UHC Passport
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Choice POS II
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- OA Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- IH-POS
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Medicare FFS
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Tricare Reserve Select
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Network OA
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- First Health PPO
- Navigate
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Medicare Direct
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Employee Health Plan
- Choice POS
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-Indemnity
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- TRICARE for Life East
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology/Gastroenterology
Fellowship: Georgetown University Medical Center GME (2007)
Residency: Georgetown University Medical Center GME (2003)
Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (2000)
Awards
- Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Doc- yearly since 2014 Castle Connolly Top Doctor- yearly since 2016 Castle Connolly Exceptional Women in Medicine Award- 2019 to 2021 Washington Post Magazine, Rising Star in 2013