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
- Aneurysm
- Brain Neoplasms
- Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Herniated Disc
- Parkinson's Disease (PD)
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Tumor
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acoustic Neuroma
- Acromegaly
- Anaplastic Oligoastrocytoma
- Aneurysm
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Arachnoid Cyst
- Arnold Chiari Malformation
- Arterial Malformation Brain
- Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
- Benign Neoplasm Of Brain
- Berry Aneurysm
- Brain Metastases
- Brain Neoplasms
- Carotid Stenosis
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Cavernous Hemangioma
- Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
- Cervical Compression Fracture
- Cervical Deformity
- Cervical Disc Degeneration
- Cervical Disc Disease
- Cervical Disc Displacement
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Coccyx Fracture
- Complex Spine Deformities
- Congenital Scoliosis
- Degenerative Spine Conditions
- Dystonia
- Epilepsy
- Essential Tremor
- Facial Spasm
- Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
- Flatback Syndrome Post Harrington Rods
- Foot Drop
- Glioma
- Herniated Disc
- Junctional Kyphosis
- Lumbar Scoliosis
- Lumbar Spine Stress Fracture
- Lumbosacral Plexus Lesions
- Lumbosacral Radiculopathy
- Malignant Brain Neoplasm
- Meningioma
- Moyamoya
- Parkinson's Disease (PD)
- Prolactinoma
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Cord Tumors
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spine Tumor
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylosis
- Thoracic Herniated Disc
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
Procedures I perform
- Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering
- Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery In The Cervical Spine
- Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery In The Lumbar Spine
- Biological Enhancement Of Spine Fusions
- Cervical Decompression
- Cervical Laminotomy
- Cervical Spine Revision
- Cervical Spine Steroid Injection
- Cervical Spine Surgery
- Complex Spine Surgery
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Disc Arthroplasty
- Disc Replacement
- Facet Injection
- Facet Surgery
- Growing Rods
- Instrumented Anterior Cervical Discectomy, Fusion (ACDF)
- Magnetic Expansion Control
- Mehta Casting
- Microdiscectomy
- Microsurgical Laminoplasty
- Minimally Invasive Lumbar Discectomy
- Minimally Invasive Partial Lumbar Discectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Fusion
- Occipito Cervical Fusion
- Posterior Cervical Laminectomy And Fusion
- Posterior Lumbar Laminectomy
- Posterior Lumbar Laminectomy With Fusion, Without Instrumentation
- Posterior Lumbar Laminectomy With Instrumentation And Fusion
- Rigo Cheneau Bracing
- Robotic Spine Surgery
- Sacroiliac Joint Block
- Sacroiliac Joint Fusion
- Sacroiliac Joint Surgery
- Schroth Therapy
- Scoliosis Surgery
- Spinal Abscess Surgery
- Spinal Cord Surgery
- Spinal Cyst Removal
- Spinal Tethering For Scoliosis
- Spine Deformity Correction Surgery
- Spine Microsurgery
- Spine Reconstruction
- Spine Revision
- Spondylosis Surgery
- Surgery For Sciatica
- Thoracic Laminectomy
- Vertebrae Surgery
- Vertebral Stapling
- Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib
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
- United Healthcare Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO, GEHA, Compass Rose)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans/ UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans HMO, POS, PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage & Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select (aka Senior Advantage)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv/Special Needs Plans
- UHC Community Plan of MD
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Medicare Fee for Service
- Kaiser Virginia Premier
- Kaiser PermanenteSelect-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS
- Kaiser MD Medicaid MCO
- CFBCBS Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CFBCBS EPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Healthcare Choice
- Tricare for Life (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Tricare Prime
- MedStar Select (MedStar Associates' Plan)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- FIRST HEALTH
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- First Health PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- POS OA & OA Plus
- Network OA
- CIGNA HMO Open Access (OA)
- Choice Fund PPO
- PPO and PPO Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- CFBCBS (NCA) Indemnity
- CFBCBS Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CFBSBC Blue Preferred PPO
- CFBCBS Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CFBCBS BlueChoice HMO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund) Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- Open EPO Plus
- Opoen HMO Option
- Open HMO
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Open POS II
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Innovations: HMO & EPO Plus
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna HMO
Education
Fellowship Program: University of Illinois at Chicago (2022)
Fellowship Program: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (2021)
Residency Program: Henry Ford Hospital (2020)
Medical School: Wayne State University School Of Medicine (2013)