About me
Caren Palese, MD, is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. She is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Palese completed her undergraduate studies at Princeton University and received her medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a three-year Gastroenterology fellowship at Georgetown University Medical Center.
Since 2014, she has been consistently chosen by her peers to be a Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Doc. She has been awarded the annual distinction of Castle Connolly Top Doctor since 2016. In addition, she has received the Castle Connolly Exceptional Women in Medicine Award. She was selected by the Washington Post Magazine to be a Rising Star in 2013.
Dr. Palese uses progressive techniques to diagnose and treat many esophageal disorders, such as GERD, eosinophilic esophagitis and Barrett’s esophagus. She is an expert in diseases of swallowing.
For the most effective care and optimal outcomes for her patients, Dr. Palese takes a multidisciplinary approach and often works closely with a team of specialists. In addition to her expertise in swallowing disorders, Barrett’s esophagus and gastrointestinal motility disorders, Dr. Palese performs precise screening colonoscopies for detecting colon cancer and flat polyps.
Beyond her passion for her work, Dr. Palese enjoys speaking German, running and skiing.
Clinical areas of focus
- Abdominal Distention
- Abnormal Stool
- Anal Fissure
- Bleeding Hemorrhoids
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colonoscopy
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Rectal Pain
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Bloating
- Abdominal Distention
- Abdominal Pain
- Abnormal Liver Function Blood Test
- Abnormal Stool
- Achalasia
- Allergic Esophagitis
- Altered Bowel Habits
- Anal Cancer
- Anal Fissure
- Anal Itching
- Anal Pain
- Anal Spasm
- Anemia
- Appendiceal Cancer
- Autoimmune Enteropathy
- Barrett's Esophagus
- Benign Neoplasm Of Colon
- Bleeding Hemorrhoids
- Blood In Stool
- Bowel Dysmotility
- Bright Red Blood Per Rectum
- Celiac Disease
- Choking Sensation
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Clostridium Difficile
- Colitis
- Collagenous Colitis
- Colonic Inertia
- Colonic Polyps
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Constipation
- Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
- Diarrhea
- Digestive Disorders
- Diverticular Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Duodenitis
- Dyspepsia
- Dysphagia
- Early Satiety
- Elevated Lipase
- Eosinophilic Colitis
- Eosinophilic Enteritis
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Eosinophilic Gastritis
- Epigastric Pain
- Eructation
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal Disease
- Esophageal Diverticulum
- Esophageal Mass
- Esophageal Motility Disorders
- Esophageal Spasm
- Esophageal Stricture
- Esophageal Thickening
- Esophageal Ulcer
- Esophageal Varices
- Esophagitis
- Family History Of Colon Cancer
- Family History Of Colon Polyps
- Fecal Impaction
- Fecal Incontinence
- Flatulence
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Gallbladder Polyp
- Gastric Ulcer
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Stromal Tumors
- Gastrointestinal Amyloid
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrojejunal Ulcer
- Gastroparesis
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hematemesis
- Hemorrhoids
- Hiatal Hernia
- Intestinal Obstruction
- Intractable Vomiting
- Iron Deficiency Anemia
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Left Upper Quadrant Pain
- Lymphocytic Colitis
- Lynch Syndrome
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Stomach
- Melena
- Microscopic Colitis
- Motility Disorders
- Nausea
- Odynophagia
- Peptic Ulcer
- Pernicious Anemia
- Personal History Of Colonic Polyps
- Peutz Jeghers Syndrome
- Polyposis Syndrome
- Positive Hemoccult Fecal Occult Blood Test
- Proctitis
- Rectal Bleeding
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Pain
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Stomach Cramps
- Swallowing Problem
- Vomiting
- Whipple's Disease
Procedures I perform
- Bravo PH Test
- Colon Polypectomy
- Colonoscopy
- Colorectal Screening
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)
- Feeding Tube Management
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Screening
- Gastroscopy
- Peg (PERCUTANEOUS ENDOSCOPIC GASTROSTOMY)
- Proctosigmoidoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy
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
- Cigna HealthSpring Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Better Health of Maryland
- CFBCBS Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- Blue Choice Advantage & Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)"
- Kaiser Virginia Premier
- Kaiser PermanenteSelect-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Kaiser MD Medicaid MCO
- Medicare Fee for Service
- CFBCBS EPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv/Special Needs Plans
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans/ UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans HMO, POS, PPO
- UHC Community Plan of MD
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO, GEHA, Compass Rose)"
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CFBSBC Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Innovations: HMO & EPO Plus
- POS OA & OA Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access (OA)
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Network OA
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Open EPO Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- Open HMO
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CIGNA EPO
- Aetna HMO
- Open POS II
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- PPO and PPO Plus
- Choice Fund PPO
- Opoen HMO Option
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CFBCBS Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Tricare for Life (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- MedStar Select (MedStar Associates' Plan)
- First Health PPO
- CFBCBS (NCA) Indemnity
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Tricare Prime
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund) Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- CFBCBS Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- FIRST HEALTH
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- CFBCBS BlueChoice HMO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Student Resources
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
Fellowship Program: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2007)
Residency Program: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2003)
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine (2000)
Awards
- Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Doc- yearly since 2014 Castle Connolly Top Doctor- yearly since 2016 Castle Connolly Exceptional Women in Medicine Award- 2019 to 2021 Washington Post Magazine, Rising Star in 2013