Learn More About Me
Specialties: Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Oncology
Languages: English, Urdu, Hindi
About me
S. Mohammed Karim, MD is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who is dual fellowship trained in spine surgery and orthopaedic oncology—one of only a handful of surgeons nationwide with such training and experience. At MedStar Health, he specializes in the surgical treatment of patients with bone and soft tissue tumors / cancers. He sees patients at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center and MedStar Union Memorial Hospital.
As a comprehensive musculoskeletal and spinal oncology surgeon, Dr. Karim enjoys helping those with both primary tumors (such as sarcomas) and metastatic tumors throughout the entire body including the spine, sacrum, pelvis, and extremities. He performs surgery for tumors causing spinal cord compression; spinal fractures/instability from tumors; pathologic or impending fractures in the arms, legs, and pelvis; and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors in all parts of the body. Dr. Karim believes firmly that cancer care is a “team sport” and works closely with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, plastic surgeons, and other surgical subspecialists of MedStar Health to provide the best treatment possible to each patient. In addition to cancer patients, he surgically treats those with degenerative spine conditions (such as spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, cervical myelopathy, and bulging discs), spinal trauma, spinal cord injuries, and spinal infections.
In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Karim conducts clinical research to improve the outcomes of patients with musculoskeletal and spinal tumors. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. Dr. Karim is a member of the AOSpine Knowledge Forum Tumor – an international group of surgeons and other cancer specialists who perform research to improve the care of patients with spinal tumors. He is also a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the North American Spine Society, for which he holds Committee Appointments in Spine Oncology, Robotics and Enabling Technology, and Resident and Fellow Education. He has a keen interest in education and enjoys teaching and mentoring medical students, residents, and fellows both in and out of the operating room. Beyond his medical career, Dr. Karim is a proud member of the Civil Air Patrol.
Clinical areas of focus
- Bone Biopsy
- Bone Cancer Surgery
- Bone Cyst
- Bone Metastasis
- Bone Metastasis Treatment
- Bone Sarcoma Surgery
- Flap Surgery
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Mesothelioma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Resection Of Soft Tissue Tumor
- Salvage Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Angiosarcoma
- Bladder Carcinoma
- Bone Cancer
- Bone Cyst
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bone Lesions
- Bone Metastasis
- Bone Sarcoma
- Bone Tumor
- Brown Tumor
- Cervical Spine Tumor
- Chordoma
- Femur Shaft Fracture
- Fibrosarcoma
- Hand Tremor
- Lipoma
- Liposarcoma
- Lumbar Spine Tumor
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Connective And Soft Tissue
- Mesothelioma
- Metastatic Bone Disease
- Multiple Myeloma
- Neoplasm Of Uncertain Behavior
- Nerve Tumors
- Pathological Fracture
- Pelvic Tumor
- Sarcomas Of Skin And Soft Tissue
- Skull Base Tumor
- Soft Tissue Sarcoma
- Spinal Metastases
- Spine Tumor
- Thigh Fracture
- Thoracic Spine Tumor
- Wrist And Hand Tumors
Procedures I perform
- Amputation Revision
- Bone Biopsy
- Bone Cancer Surgery
- Bone Graft
- Bone Metastasis Treatment
- Bone Sarcoma Surgery
- Ewing's Sarcoma Treatment
- Femur Excision
- Femur Fracture Stabilization
- Flap Surgery
- Forequarter Amputation
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Hindquarter Amputation
- Hip Distraction
- Hip Replacement For Metastatic Bone Disease
- Knee Amputation
- Metastatic Bone Disease Treatment
- Pelvic Tumor Resection
- Proximal Humerus Replacement
- Reconstruction For Bone Defects
- Resection Of Soft Tissue Tumor
- Salvage Surgery
- Soft Tissue Sarcoma Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Toe Amputation
- Vertebroplasty For Vertebral Compression Fractures
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
- BlueChoice Open Access
- OA Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CIGNA EPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- POS OA
- TRICARE East Select
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Basic
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Beech Street PPO
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst NASCO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- UHC Passport
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst Administrators
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- IH-PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Sentara Health
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- IH-HMO
- Navigate
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Employee Health Plan
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- IH-POS Plus
- Network OA
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- HighMark
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Choice POS II
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Choice POS
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CIGNA PPO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Optimum Choice
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- First Health PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- United Healthcare Choice
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- TRICARE for Life East
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Medicare FFS
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Student Resources
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- HumanaChoice PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-POS
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Fellowship: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science (2021)
Fellowship: University of British Columbia GME (2020)
Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital (2019)
Medical School: Harvard Medical School (2014)
Awards
- Baltimore Magazine, Top Doc, 2025