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
- Hemorrhoids
- 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
- Carcinoma In Situ Of Digestive Organs
- Colon Cancer
- 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
- 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 LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 4th Fl Washington, DC, 20007
202-877-4599miles 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
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Network Only Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open HMO
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Basic
- CIGNA PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Sentara Health
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Indemnity
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- POS OA
- CareFirst Administrators
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Choice POS
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- United Healthcare Choice
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- First Health PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- TRICARE East Prime
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-Open POS II
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Medicare Direct
- IH-PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- IH-POS
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Network OA
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- HighMark
- Blue Choice Advantage
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Optimum Choice
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Choice Fund PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- OA Plus
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Beech Street PPO
- IH-HMO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna HMO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- United Student Resources
- Employee Health Plan
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- UHC Passport
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Navigate
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- IH-POS Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
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)