About me
Priyanka Sabharwal, MD, PhD, is an attending neurologist and epilepsy specialist affiliated with MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Sabharwal specializes in treating patients with epilepsy, seizure disorders, concussions, and traumatic brain injury.
Her treatment methods revolve around a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach towards the care of patients with epilepsy. She believes in comprehensive epilepsy care that encompasses the use of medications, dietary therapies such as the ketogenic diet (proven to reduce the frequency of seizures in patients with epilepsy), medications, integrative therapies, surgical approaches, and electrical brain stimulation. For complex patients with epilepsy, Dr. Sabharwal also offers novel neuromodulation therapies including the vagal nerve stimulator, and responsive neurostimulation. For these devices, she works with a multi-disciplinary team, including neurosurgeons, neuropsychiatrists, neuropsychologists, nurse practitioners, and dieticians.
Her clinical interests include epilepsy, seizures, concussions, traumatic brain injury, care of women with epilepsy, and the transition of care of pediatric epilepsy patients to adult epilepsy care. In current times, children with childhood epilepsy are living longer, and at times have complex and challenging needs. Dr. Sabharwal is dedicated to identifying and addressing gaps in the transition of care to ensure that pediatric epilepsy patients who are at risk of poor transition can be identified early, in turn promoting uninterrupted and adequate care for this vulnerable population.
Her research interests include refractory epilepsy (surgical care of people with epilepsy), women with epilepsy, and raising awareness of SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients). During her PhD work, Dr. Sabharwal researched mechanisms that control neuronal diversity in the nervous system. She showed that GDE2, a six-transmembrane protein, was important for generation of force-generating alpha motor neurons in the nervous system, in turn establishing GDE2 as a key regulator of motor neuron diversity.
Dr. Sabharwal received her medical degree from King George Medical College in India. She then pursued a PhD in Neurosciences from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she studied neurogenesis during the formation of the nervous system. She then joined New York University School of Medicine to pursue a three-year neurology residency, where she served as Chief Resident, followed by a one-year sub-specialty fellowship in neurophysiology and a one-year sub-specialty fellowship in epilepsy.
She is a member of the American Epilepsy Society, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society. She is the recipient of America’s Top Physicians (2017), awarded by the Consumer Research Council of America.
Philosophy of Care
“To me, my patients’ health is personal. Epilepsy and other neurological disorders can affect every single aspect of someone’s life and can place them in a very vulnerable position. They need someone they can trust, and I am that person.
“The foundation of my practice is compassion. Most of my patients come to me with a condition that is very challenging. I am by my patients’ side throughout the entire experience. I listen to their concerns, and ask meaningful questions in order to understand their life goals. Most importantly, I communicate clearly and openly with them, so that they fully understand the reality of their diagnosis.
“With honesty and transparency, I build trust with my patients so that I can provide them care in the best way possible.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Atonic Epilepsy Treatment
- Electroencephalogram
- Epilepsy
- Epilepsy Surgery
- Inpatient Epilepsy Monitoring
- Migraine
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Movements
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Aphagia And Dysphagia
- Brain Disorders
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Cognitive Function Disorders
- Congenital Malformations Of Nervous System
- Convulsions
- Degenerative Diseases Of Nervous System
- Demyelinating Diseases Of Central Nervous System
- Dystonia
- Epilepsy
- Epilepsy And Seizures
- Extrapyramidal And Movement Disorders
- Facial Nerve Disorder
- Gait And Balance Problems
- General Sensations And Perceptions
- Head Injury
- Headache
- Hereditary Ataxia
- Hydrocephalus
- Idiopathic Neuropathy
- Lack Of Coordination
- Migraine
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Myoneural Disorders
- Myopathies
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Paralytic Syndrome
- Parkinson's Disease
- Secondary Parkinsonism
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy And Related Syndromes
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Vestibular Disorders
- Vestibular Neuritis
Procedures I perform
- Atonic Epilepsy Treatment
- Central Nervous Electrical Activity Monitoring
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Cognitive Stimulation Therapy
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Dystonia Treatment
- Eeg Monitoring
- Electroencephalogram
- Electroencephalogram Review
- Electromyography
- Epilepsy Education
- Epilepsy Education And Counseling
- Epilepsy Surgery
- Inpatient Epilepsy Monitoring
- Median Nerve Conduction Studies
- Muscle Biopsy
- Neurological Exam
- Neuromuscular Testing
- Seizure Treatment
- Status Epilepticus Treatment
- Stroke And Cerebrovascular Medicine
- Stroke Care
- Transcranial Doppler
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 7th Fl Washington, DC, 20007
202-877-2171Fax 855-354-3967
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
- IH-EPO Plus
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- POS OA
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Basic
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-PPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- UHC Passport
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Choice POS
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CIGNA PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Network OA
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- OA Plus
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Medicare FFS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Medicare Direct
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Administrators
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- First Health PPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- HighMark
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-HMO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst EPO
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Tricare Reserve Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Navigate
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- TRICARE for Life East
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Choice POS II Open Access
- United Healthcare Choice
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Choice Fund PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- TRICARE East Select
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Employee Health Plan
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Sentara Health
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA PPO Plus
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, Neurology
Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, Epilepsy
Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, Clinical Neuropsychology
Graduate: New York University Medical Center (2017)
Fellowship: New York University School of Medicine (2017)
Graduate: New York University Medical Center (2016)
Fellowship: New York University School of Medicine (2016)
Graduate: New York University Medical Center (2015)
Residency: New York University School of Medicine (2015)
Internship: Griffin Hospital (2012)
Graduate: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2011)
Graduate: Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education (2005)
Medical School: King Georges Medical University (2003)