Michael James Choi, MD| Nephrology | MedStar Health
Michael James Choi

Michael James Choi, MD
Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

4.9 out of 5 (187 reviews)

Specialties: Nephrology

Languages: English

877-625-1483

About me

Dr. Michael Choi is Director for the Division of Nephrology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. He has a focused interest in glomerular diseases and chronic kidney disease. He is the Fellowship Program Director in Nephrology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and was the Program Director at the Johns Hopkins University from 1996-2009. He is the Past-President of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and present member and past NKF Education Committee Chair. He was the Chairman of the 2011 NKF Spring Clinical Meeting. He was a member of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Program Education Committee for Glomerular Disease, He was Co-Editor of the NephSAP (the nephrology self-assessment program for Chronic Kidney Disease. He is presently on the American Society of Nephrology Ethics Committee. He is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Nephrology test writing committee elected for his expertise in glomerular diseases. He has several important publications on renal physiology, glomerular disease, and genetic kidney disease, including studies on APOL1 and CKD progression. 

Dr. Choi sees patients at the following location:
3800 Reservoir Road Northwest, Pasquerilla Healthcare Center
6th Fl Nephrology
Washington, DC 20007
202-444-9183

Clinical areas of focus

  • Acute Kidney Injury
  • Cardiorenal Syndrome
  • Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
  • Diabetic Nephropathy
  • End Stage Renal Disease
  • Glomerulonephritis
  • Hypertension
  • Kidney Disease
  • Medical Management Of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
  • Nephrotic Syndrome
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Conditions and procedures

Conditions I treat

  • Acute Interstitial Nephritis
  • Acute Kidney Injury
  • Acute Tubular Necrosis
  • Alport Syndrome
  • Amyloid Nephropathy
  • Anti Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease
  • Azotemia
  • Bartter Syndrome
  • BK Virus Nephropathy
  • Cardiorenal Syndrome
  • Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
  • Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) After Renal Transplant
  • Congenital Renal Disease
  • Contrast Induced Nephropathy
  • Cryoglobulinemia
  • Crystalluria
  • Diabetes Insipidus
  • Diabetic Nephropathy
  • Dialysis Related Amyloidosis
  • End Stage Renal Disease
  • Ethylene Glycol Poisoning
  • Familial Renal Amyloidosis
  • Fibromuscular Dysplasia
  • Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
  • Glomerulonephritis
  • Glomerulonephropathy
  • Glucocorticoid Remediable Hypertension
  • Gouty Nephropathy
  • Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis
  • Hematuria
  • Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
  • Hepatorenal Syndrome
  • HIV Nephropathy
  • Horseshoe Kidney
  • Hydronephrosis
  • Hypercalcemia
  • Hypercalciuria
  • Hyperkalemia
  • Hypermagnesemia
  • Hypernatremia
  • Hyperoxaluria
  • Hyperphosphatemia
  • Hypertension
  • Hypertrophy Of Kidney
  • Hyperuricemia
  • Hypocalcemia
  • Hypokalemia
  • Hypomagnesemia
  • Hyponatremia
  • Hypophosphatemia
  • Iga Nephropathy
  • Iga Vasculitis
  • Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion
  • Ischemic Nephropathy
  • Kidney Disease
  • Kidney Malformation
  • Lead Nephropathy
  • Liddle Syndrome
  • Light Chain Disorders
  • Lithium Nephropathy
  • Lithium Poisoning
  • Lupus Nephritis
  • Malignant Hypertension
  • Maternal Iga Nephropathy
  • Maternal Renal Disease
  • Medullary Sponge Kidney
  • Membranous Nephropathy
  • Metabolic Acidosis
  • Metabolic Alkalosis
  • Methanol Poisoning
  • Microscopic Hematuria
  • Microscopic Polyangiitis
  • Minimal Change Kidney Disease
  • Nephritic Syndrome
  • Nephritis
  • Nephrocalcinosis
  • Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis
  • Nephropathy
  • Nephrosclerosis
  • Nephrotic Syndrome
  • Nephrotoxicity
  • Obesity Related Glomerulopathy
  • Pauci Immune Glopmerulonephritis
  • Pheochromocytoma
  • Polycystic Kidney Disease
  • Postural Proteinuria
  • Proteinuria
  • Pseudohypoaldosteronism Type 1
  • Pyelonephritis
  • Radiation Nephropathy
  • Reflux Nephropathy
  • Renal Agenesis And Dysgenesis
  • Renal Anomalies
  • Renal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Renal Artery Stenosis
  • Renal Cortical Necrosis
  • Renal Cysts
  • Renal Failure
  • Renal Hypoplasia
  • Renal Insufficiency
  • Renal Manifestations Of Sickle Cell Disease
  • Renal Osteodystrophy
  • Renal Tubular Acidosis
  • Renovascular Hypertension
  • Retroperitoneal Fibrosis
  • Rhabdomyolysis
  • Salt Balance Disorders
  • Secondary Hyperaldosteronism
  • Small Kidney
  • Solitary Kidney
  • Tubulointerstitial Nephritis
  • Uncontrolled Hypertension
  • Uremia
  • Uremic Encephalopathy
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Procedures I perform

  • Medical Management Of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
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Practice locations

Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location

3800 Reservoir Road Northwest
Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 5th Fl
Washington, DC, 20007

202-444-0086

Fax 877-625-1483

Get Directions

miles away

Fax 877-625-1483

110 Irving Street Northwest
Room 1A50B
Washington, DC, 20010

202-877-6034

Fax 202-877-8329

Get Directions

miles away

Fax 202-877-8329

110 Irving Street Northwest
Room 2A-70
Washington, DC, 20010

202-877-6034

Fax 202-877-8329

Get Directions

miles away

Fax 202-877-8329

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
    • Medicaid - District of Columbia
    • Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
    • Anthem Plus BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
    • Cigna Network Open Access
    • Beech Street PPO
    • CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
    • Kaiser Select
    • CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
    • Aetna Student Health Insurance
    • Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
    • Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
    • Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
    • Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
    • United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
    • Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
    • MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
    • Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
    • WellPoint Maryland
    • Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
    • Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
    • United Optimum Choice
    • Tricare East Select
    • Virginia Premier
    • Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
    • CareFirst NASCO
    • United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
    • Police and Fire Clinic
    • Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
    • Kaiser Medicare Plus
    • CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
    • Kaiser Flexible Choice
    • Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
    • Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
    • Tricare East Prime
    • WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
    • Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
    • Carefirst EPO
    • Kaiser Select-Added Choice
    • Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
    • Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
    • Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
    • CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
    • United Select Plus (POS)
    • United Mamsi Life & Health
    • MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
    • United Erickson Advantage Plans
    • HealthyBlue PPO
    • Medicaid - Maryland
    • Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
    • Kaiser Signature
    • United Golden Rule
    • Cigna HMO Open Access
    • Innovation Health: Open POS II
    • Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
    • Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
    • Cigna Choice Fund PPO
    • Tricare for Life East
    • CareFirst MedStar PPO
    • Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
    • CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
    • HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
    • Anthem HMO - BCBS of VA HealthKeepers
    • United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
    • Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
    • Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
    • Cigna Indemnity
    • United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
    • Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
    • Innovation Health: Indemnity
    • United Choice
    • United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
    • Cigna POS/Network POS
    • Tricare Reserve Select
    • Innovation Health: POS Plus
    • United Student Resources
    • CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
    • Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
    • United Navigate
    • Innovation Health: POS
    • Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
    • D-SNP)
    • Innovation Health: PPO
    • Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
    • United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
    • United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
    • Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
    • Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
    • Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
    • Anthem (POS & Open Access POS) BCBS of VA HealthKeepers
    • United Choice Plus
    • Cigna EPO
    • Aetna HMO
    • Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
    • Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
    • United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
    • Medicaid - Virginia
    • United Core Essential (HMO)
    • Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
    • CareFirst Administrators
    • Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
    • Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
    • Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
    • Cigna Preferred Medicare
    • United MD IPA (HMO)
    • CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
    • UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
    • Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
    • Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
    • I-SNP
    • Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
    • Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
    • HumanaChoice PPO
    • United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
    • Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
    • United AARP Medicare Complete
    • Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
    • Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
    • Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
    • Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
    • MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
    • First Health PPO
    • Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
    • Coventry Health Care of Virginia
    • Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA

Education

Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology

Residency: University of Pennsylvania Health System (1994)

Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital (1990)

Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1987)

Awards

  • Baltimore’s Best Doctors, Baltimore Magazine, 2018
  • The Washington Post Magazine, Top Doctors, 2011- 2013
  • Best Doctors, 2010-2019
  • USA Today’s Most Influential Doctors, Hypertension- Baltimore- Towson, 2009
  • Patient’s Choice Awards, 2008 - 2010
  • Baltimore’s Best Doctors, Baltimore Magazine, 2007
  • Best Doctors, 2007,2008
  • Garabed Eknoyan Award – Outstanding Contribution to the National Kidney Foundation, 2015
  • Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence, Institution/Organization, 2018
  • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: Alpha Omega Alpha, Department of Medicine, 2016
  • Distinguished Teaching Society of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2016.
  • Master Mentor Award - Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2012
  • W. Barry Wood, Jr. Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2019
  • W. Barry Wood, Jr. Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2017
  • W. Barry Wood, Jr. Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2012
  • W. Barry Wood, Jr. Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2011.
  • W. Barry Wood, Jr. Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2005
  • VIP Grand Marshall Commencement, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2003
  • Department of Medicine Full-time Faculty Teaching Award. 2001
  • W. Barry Wood, Jr. Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2000
  • Outstanding Contribution Award, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2003
  • Department of Medicine Full-time Faculty Teaching Award. 2001

News and publications

He is the Clinical Discussant for the session: "Renal Biopsy: Clinical Correlations" for the 2021 American Society of Nephrology Scientific Meeting. 

  1. Choi MJ, Eustace JA, Gimenez LF, Atta MG, Scheel PJ, Sothinathan R, Briggs WA. Mycophenolate mofetil treatment for primary glomerular diseases.  Kidney Int 2002;61:1098-1114.
  2. Briggs WA, Choi MJ, Scheel PJ.  Successful mycophenolate mofetil treatment of glomerular disease.  Am J Kidney Dis. 1998;31(2):213-217.  
  3. Lipkowitz MS, Freedman BI, Langefeld CD, Comeau ME, Bowden DW, Kao WH, Astor BC, Bottinger EP, Iyengar SK, Klotman PE, Freedman RG, Zhang W, Parekh RS, Choi MJ, Nelson GW, Winkler CA, Kopp JB; the AASK Investigators. Apolipoprotein L1 gene variants associate with hypertension-attributed nephropathy and the rate of kidney function decline in African Americans. Kidney Int. 2012; 83:144-120.
  4. Parsa A, Kao WH, Xie D, Astor BC, Li M, Hsu CY, Feldman HI, Parekh RS, Kusek JW, Greene TH, Fink JC, Anderson AH, Choi MJ, Wright JT Jr, Lash JP, Freedman BI, Ojo A, Winkler CA, Raj DS, Kopp JB, He J, Jensvold NG, Tao K, Lipkowitz MS, Appel LJ; AASK Study Investigators; CRIC Study Investigators. APOL1 risk variants, race, and progression of chronic kidney disease. N Engl J Med. 2013;369:2183-96.
  5. Chen TK, Choi MJ, Kao WH, Astor BC, Scialla JJ, Appel LA, Li L, Lipkowitz MS, Wolf M, Parekh RS, Winkler CA, Estrella ME, Crews DC. Examination of Potential Modifiers of the Association of APOL1 Alleles with CKD Progression. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2015 Oct 1 [Epub ahead of print]
  6. Chen TK, Tin A, Peralta CA, Appel LJ, Choi MJ, Lipkowitz MS, Winkler CA, Estrella MM. APOL1 Risk Variants, Incident Proteinuria, and Subsequent eGFR Decline in Blacks with Hypertension-Attributed CKD. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017 Nov 7;12(11):1771-1777
  7. King LS, Choi M, Fernandez PC, Cartran JP, Agre P.  Brief Report: Urinary concentrating defect in aquaporin-1 null individuals. N Engl J Med 2001;345:175-179.
  8. Choi MJ, Fernandez PC, Patnaik A, Coupaye-Gerard B, D'Andrea D, Szerlip H, Kleyman, TR. Brief Report: Trimethoprim induced hyperkalemia in a patient with AIDS. N Engl J Med. 1993;328:703-6.
  9. Trachtman H, Choi MJ, Somers M, Mariani L, Beck L, Waldman M, Langford C, Bomback A, Holzman L. KDOQI US Commentary on the 2012 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guidelines for Glomerulonephritis. Am J Kidney Dis. 2013 ;62:403-41.

Ratings and reviews

  • Explanations the care provider gave you about your problem or condition

    4.9
  • Extent to which the care provider listened to you

    4.9
  • Care provider’s discussion of any proposed treatment (options, risks, benefits, etc.)

    4.9
  • Provider included you in decisions

    4.9
  • Concern the care provider showed for your questions or worries

    4.9
  • Likelihood of recommending this care provider to others

    4.9
  • Oct 16, 2024

    This was the first time I have seen Dr. Choi. He was so very patient answering my questions. He is an excellent teacher and communicator.

  • Oct 9, 2024

    Excellemt

  • Oct 9, 2024

    Dr. Choi always take the time to listen to my concerns and explain everything so I understand.