About me
Sara Berkey, MD, is a fellowship-trained colorectal surgeon at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She specializes in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of benign and malignant disorders of the colon, rectum, and anus.
Dr. Berkey’s treatment methods involve both medical and surgical (in-office and operating room) techniques. She is specialty trained and certified to perform minimally invasive robotic surgery using the da Vinci® robotic surgery system. Robotic surgery reduces pain and discomfort, and therefore narcotic use; reduces recovery time; and allows patients to go home sooner, compared to traditional open surgical techniques.
Her clinical interests include improving the quality of life for patients with inflammatory bowel disease and pelvic floor conditions and treating young people with colorectal cancer. Her research interests include improving enhanced surgical recovery pathways to help improve patient outcomes. Dr. Berkey is passionate about increasing colon cancer screening rates in the African American population, the highest risk racial/ethnic group for colorectal cancer in the U.S.
Dr. Berkey received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine, where she was named Valedictorian of her class and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She then completed a seven-year general surgery residency program, including two years of dedicated research time, with the University of Pittsburgh before joining MedStar Washington Hospital Center for a specialty fellowship in colon and rectal surgery. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons, and the Association of Women Surgeons.
Dr. Berkey enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, biking, and spending time on the water.
Philosophy of Care
“The foundation of providing excellent care is a strong patient-physician relationship built on empathy, clear communication, and collaboration. From the very first time I meet my patients, I take the time to listen to their concerns and understand what their goals are for treatment. I emphasize teamwork between myself and my patients, as well as between myself and my colleagues, in order to provide the best possible care to my patients.
I feel honored when my patients say that they would recommend me to their friends and family.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Abdominoperineal Resection
- Anal Abscess
- Anal Fissures
- Bowel Obstruction
- Colon Cancer Surgery
- Crohn's Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Enterocele Repair
- Laparoscopic Colectomy
- Open Colectomy
- Perianal Surgery
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Cancer Surgery
- Sigmoid Colectomy
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Vaginal Fistula
- Vaginal Wall Prolapse
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdomen, Lower Back, Pelvis, And Genital Open Wound
- Abnormal Digestive Findings
- Accessory Sinuses Cancer
- Anal Abscess
- Anal Cancer
- Anal Fissures
- Anal Venous Thrombosis
- Anus And Rectum Diseases
- Artificial Openings Complications
- Benign Neoplasm Of Skin
- Bladder Disorders
- Bladder Incontinence
- Bowel Obstruction
- Colon Polyps
- Colonic Diverticulosis
- Colonic Polyps
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Congenital Malformations Of Intestine
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease [Regional Enteritis]
- Cutaneous Abscess
- Digestive System Complications
- Diverticulitis
- Female Genital Tract Fistulae
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gallbladder Disease
- Gastric Cancer
- Hemorrhoids And Perianal Venous Thrombosis
- Incisional Hernia
- Paracolostomy Hernia
- Perianal Fistula
- Perianal Itching
- Perianal Pain
- Pilonidal Cyst
- Pruritus
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Fissure
- Rectal Pain
- Spinal Stenosis
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Vaginal Fistula
- Vaginal Itching
- Vaginal Wall Prolapse
- Ventral Hernia
Procedures I perform
- Abdominoperineal Resection
- Anal Canal Reconstruction
- Anal Fistula Treatment
- Colectomy
- Colon Cancer Surgery
- Colonoscopy
- Colostomy
- Colostomy Revision
- Endorectal Advancement Flap
- Enterectomy
- Enterocele Repair
- Enteroscopy
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- J-Pouch Surgery
- Laparoscopic Colectomy
- Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy
- Open Colectomy
- Perianal Surgery
- Rectal Cancer Surgery
- Rectal Stricture Dilation
- Robotic Colpopexy
- Sigmoid Colectomy
- Small Bowel Resection
- Stoma Revision
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
106 Irving St NW
Ste 2100
Washington, DC, 20010
1133 21st St NW
Bldg 2 10th Fl
Washington, DC, 20036
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 4th Fl
Washington, DC, 20007
miles away
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
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Medicare FFS
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna Basic
- Choice POS
- IH-PPO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- TRICARE East Select
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- HighMark
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- OA Plus
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- IH-Indemnity
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- IH-POS
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Navigate
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- IH-Open HMO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CIGNA EPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- IH-HMO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- POS OA
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Network OA
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CIGNA PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- IH-Open POS II
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Choice POS II
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- UHC Passport
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery, Colon and Rectal Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Surgery, General Surgery
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2020)
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2019)
Medical School: Tulane University (2012)