About me
Rizwan Ahmad Tahir, MD, joins MedStar Health as a neurosurgeon for the department of Neurosurgery. He is a specialist in cerebrovascular disorders and neurosurgery. Dr. Tahir is a compassionate and caring physician who works collaboratively with his patients to achieve the best outcomes.
As the recipient of several academic honors and awards, Dr. Tahir has published 20 peer-reviewed articles. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. His research interest includes cerebral vascular and endovascular neurosurgery–specifically as it pertains to stroke and vascular malformations and aneurysms.
Dr. Tahir earned his medical degree at Wayne State University in Detroit and completed his residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. He completed his fellowship in Cerebrovascular at the University of Illinois in Chicago and his fellowship in Endovascular Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Philosophy of care
Dr. Tahir believes the surgeon and patient relationship should be built on a foundation of trust and transparency to achieve the best outcomes.
“I work closely with my patients and take a very personalized approach. I encourage my patients to ask as many questions as they need to understand their options and make decisions that are right for them—it is critical that they are actively involved in the decision-making process. Together, we collaborate on creating a treatment plan, making sure to incorporate the patient’s wishes and goals.”
When not practicing medicine, Dr. Tahir enjoys spending time with his wife, a headache neurologist at MedStar Health, and their two children. He enjoys playing basketball and football, exercising, good food, and travel. He is also committed to volunteering for global health and disaster relief efforts.
Dr. Tahir sees patients at Medstar Washington Hospital Center.
Clinical areas of focus
- Brain Tumor
- Hydrocephalus
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Aneurysm
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Benign Neoplasm Of Brain And Central Nervous System
- Benign Tumor
- Blindness And Low Vision
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Disorders
- Brain Tumor
- Carotid Stenosis
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Congenital Hydrocephalus
- Congenital Malformations Of Peripheral Vascular System
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Dorsalgia
- Epilepsy
- Head Injury
- Hemangioma
- Hydrocephalus
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Intraspinal Granuloma
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Meninges
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Spinal Cord
- Meningioma
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Nontraumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Omphalocele
- Paralytic Syndrome
- Parkinson's Disease
- Scoliosis
- Secondary Malignant Neoplasm Of Brain
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spine Tumor
- Spondylopathies
- Vascular Malformations Of The Brain
Procedures I perform
- Bifrontal Craniectomy
- Cerebellar Hemorrhage Evacuation
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunt Revision
- Cervical Nerve Release
- Cervical Spinal Cord Release
- Cervical Vertebral Disc Excision
- Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
- Cranial Nerve Neurostimulator Electrode Array And Pulse Generator Implantation
- Craniectomy For Hematoma Evacuation
- Cranioplasty
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Dura Mater Supplement
- Endovascular Intracranial Prolonged Administration Of Pharmacologic Agent
- Excision Of Cerebral Ventricle
- Lumboperitoneal Shunt
- Lumbosacral Disc Excision
- Occlusion Intracranial Artery
- Open Brain Release
- Parkinson's Disease
- Parotid Biopsy
- Removal Of Bone Flap
- Resection Of Thoracic Vertebral Disc
- Sacral Nerve Release
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy For Brain Tumors
- Stereotactic Spinal Procedure
- Subclavian Artery Extirpation
- Thoracic Aorta To Carotid Artery Bypass With Synthetic Substitute
- Thoracic Laminectomy
- Thoracic Nerve Release
- Upper Artery Synthetic Substitute Removal
- Venous Access Device Removal
- Vestibular Nerve Tumor Surgery
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
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- IH-HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Healthcare Choice
- CIGNA EPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- IH-Open HMO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- TRICARE for Life East
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Choice Fund PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Navigate
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna HMO
- IH-Indemnity
- IH-POS
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice
- Choice POS II
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- TRICARE East Select
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Choice POS
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Network OA
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Classic 5000
- HighMark
- First Health PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- POS OA
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Medicare FFS
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Employee Health Plan
- IH-POS Plus
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Sentara Health
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- OA Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Police and Fire Clinic
- First Health PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- IH-Network Only Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CIGNA PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Beech Street PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery
Fellowship: University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medical (2022)
Fellowship: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Jefferson Health (2021)
Residency: Henry Ford Hospital (2020)
Medical School: Wayne State University (2013)