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