About me
Namita Puran, FNP-C, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner at MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She specializes in risk assessments, screenings, and counseling for lung cancer, pulmonary nodules, and tobacco use disorders. She also is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Her approach to care centers on shared decision-making, which empowers patients to collaborate with clinicians in the design of personalized treatment plans. She is also a nurse educator who provides tobacco smoking counseling and lung cancer screenings to motivate patients to quit smoking while helping them manage chronic conditions like emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other health concerns. When combined with a multidisciplinary team of interventional pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and radiologists, patients receive comprehensive services at one convenient location.
Namita is dedicated to addressing health disparities related to lung cancer screenings and prevention access in underserved communities. Her current clinical and research interests are lung cancer risk assessments and screenings as well as tobacco use treatments. She is also passionate about integrating assessments and counseling to help identify more people who need support. Referring physicians should know that she welcomes patients who have smoking histories and need low-dose CT or PET/CT scans for lung cancer evaluations.
Philosophy of Care
“My goal is to provide optimal care that helps people live healthier and longer lives. I’m passionate about teaching them about the importance of life-saving preventative care like lung cancer screenings and tobacco smoking counseling. Regardless of where they are in their quit-smoking journeys, I applaud patients – without judgment – for every important step they make. This support contributes to a nurturing environment where they are comfortable asking questions, discussing concerns, and celebrating successes.
Professional association
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
About the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute
MedStar Washington Hospital Center is part of the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute, which combines medical expertise, the latest therapies, and research across MedStar Health. Our research engine, Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Washington, D.C., region. This partnership means we provide access to cutting-edge clinical trials and the latest breakthroughs in cancer care.
Clinical areas of focus
- Adenocarcinoma Of Lung
- Lung Cancer Screening
- Pulmonary Nodule
- Tobacco Abuse
Conditions and procedures
Procedures I perform
- Lung Cancer Screening
- Shared Decision Making
- Tobacco Use Cessation
Education
Other Certification: American Association of Nurse Practitioners, -
Graduate Education: George Washington University (2020)
Awards
- Nurse Practitioner Technology Enhanced Community Health Scholarship, The George Washington University (2019)
- Distinguished Scholar Award, The George Washington University (2017)
- Washington Squared Scholarship Recipient, The George Washington University (2016)
- Nursing Honor Society, Sigma Theta (2017)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Development and Evaluation of Brief Web-Based Education for Primary Care Providers to Address Inequities in Lung Cancer Screening and Smoking Cessation Treatment, Journal of Cancer Education, January 13, 2023
- Developing Provider Education to Address Barriers and Reduce Disparities in Lung Cancer Screening and Smoking Cessation Treatment Among Underserved Patients, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, January 1, 2022