About me
Kristen Whitaker, MD, MS is a board-certified medical oncologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Prior to joining MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Dr. Whitaker served as an assistant professor at the NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fox Chase, in Philadelphia, PA for four years, where she treated patients with breast cancer and patients at high risk for developing breast and other types of cancers.
Dr. Whitaker specializes in treating patients with breast cancer. She is a member of the multidisciplinary team that makes up the Breast Health Program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Whitaker’s approach to patient care is centered around collaboration with other providers and patients and providing evidence-based recommendations for patient care. She strives to take the unique needs of each of her patients into consideration and incorporates newer tools, such as genetic testing and tumor molecular profiling, to tailor treatments for her patients. Her goal is to ensure that her patients have the best possible outcomes from their cancer while taking care to minimize the number of therapies, side effects of therapy and personal hardships that patients experience because of their cancer treatment.
When Dr. Whitaker meets with patients, she is optimistic and positive because she knows that there are many effective therapy options available that can treat and, in many cases, cure her patients. While chemotherapy and hormonal therapy were once the cornerstone of breast cancer treatment, today Dr. Whitaker is excited to offer her patients newer therapies, such as targeted therapies and immunotherapy, which improve cancer outcomes with less side effects. She is particularly excited that MedStar Washington Hospital Center has many clinical trial options, allowing patients from diverse backgrounds earlier access to what may become the breast cancer treatments of the future.
Dr. Whitaker is passionate about working towards eliminating racial health disparities, especially among patients with cancer. To that end, she has been published and has received multiple awards, including the 2022 NIH Loan Repayment Health Disparities Award and a 2022 AACR Career Development Award to Further Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Clinical Cancer Research.
Dr. Whitaker received her medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. She then completed a three-year residency in internal medicine at George Washington University, prior to completing a three-year fellowship in hematology/oncology at the NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Chicago. She simultaneously completed a Master of Science at the University of Chicago while completing her fellowship. She is a member of American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Association for Cancer Research.
Philosophy of care
“As a native Washingtonian, I am honored to be back in my hometown serving my community. As a physician, my goal is to empower each of my patients to make the best decisions about their healthcare by educating them about the most up-to-date and proven treatment for their cancer. It is also important to me to take the time to answer questions and address concerns my patients may have at any time during their cancer journey. My patients quickly learn that there is no question that is too big or too small for us to talk about. I value collaboration from my patients and other providers and make myself readily available to both to address any questions or concerns, as I realize this is essential to providing the best possible care for my patients. I enjoy getting to know my patients as individuals and building a relationship where my patients trust me and have confidence that I always have their best interests.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Oncology Consultation
- Pathology Consultation
- Tumor Immunohistochemistry
Procedures I perform
- Bladder Cancer
- Bladder Cancer Surgery
- Bladder Tumor Removal
- Blood Banking
- Bone Cancer Staging
- Breast Biopsy
- Cancer Pain Management
- Chemotherapy Administration
- Clinical Trials Participation
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Hematology Consultation
- Hepatic Artery Infusion
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Insertion Infusion Device
- Intravenous (IV) Fluids
- Introduction Of Antineoplastic
- Kidney Cancer
- Kidney Cancer Treatment
- Kidney Resection
- Low-Dose Rate Brachytherapy For Prostate Cancer
- Lymph Node Biopsy
- Lymph Node Removal
- Metastatic Cancer Treatment
- Oncology Consultation
- Parathyroid Tumor Surgery
- Pathology Consultation
- Penile Cancer
- Penile Cancer Surgery
- Penile Tumor Removal
- Prolotherapy Infusions
- Prostate Cancer Surgery
- Prostate Cancer Treatment
- Removal Of Central Venous Access Device
- Renal Cancer Treatment
- Renal Metastases Treatment
- Seminoma Treatment
- Subdural Grid Placement
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Cancer Surgery
- Testicular Tumor Removal
- Transitional Cell Carcinoma Treatment
- Tumor Immunohistochemistry
- Tumor Marker Testing
- Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy
- Urinary Tract Cancer Treatment
- Uveitic Glaucoma Treatment
- Vascular Access Device Management
- Venous Access Device Removal
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
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- OA Plus
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Choice POS
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-POS Plus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Employee Health Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open HMO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- IH-Indemnity
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Sentara Health
- CIGNA EPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- POS OA
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Medicare FFS
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- IH-Network Only Plus
- HighMark
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- TRICARE East Select
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- IH-Open POS Plus
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Medicare Direct
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- IH-HMO
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- IH-POS
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Beech Street PPO
- First Health PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- BlueChoice Open Access
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Basic
- Navigate
- IH-Open POS II
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Choice POS II
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Network OA
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst Administrators
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CIGNA PPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Prime
- First Health PPO
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
Fellowship: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (2018)
Residency: George Washington University School of Medicine (2015)
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine (2012)