About me
Rajiv Parikh, MD, MPHS, is an attending plastic and reconstructive surgeon affiliated with MedStar Washington Hospital Center and Assistant Clinical Professor at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. As a plastic and reconstructive specialist, he performs reconstructive surgery, from head to toe, to restore form and function in patients with cancer or traumatic injuries.
Dr. Parikh specializes in breast reconstruction after breast cancer, functional limb salvage for patients with traumatic injuries, chronic wounds, and/or oncological defects, and facial paralysis surgery. He also treats patients with peripheral nerve injuries in the upper and lower extremity as well as performs body contouring procedures, such as breast reductions and breast lifts.
Dedicated to bringing the safest, most novel techniques to his patients, Dr. Parikh performs microsurgical reconstruction and utilizes enhanced recovery after surgery protocols (ERAS) to minimize pain and improve patient outcomes. He is specialty-trained in autologous microvascular breast reconstruction techniques and in restoring sensation to women’s breasts, both after mastectomy and breast reconstruction. He also performs unique treatments with lymphovenous bypass (LVB), or vascularized lymph node transplants, to prevent and treat lymphedema in women with breast cancer undergoing axillary lymph node dissections. He employs novel techniques to treat facial paralysis, such as nerve transfer procedures.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Parikh is invested in the advancement of his field and is an active researcher, having published more than 40 scientific papers and book chapters. Currently, he is investigating health disparities, value-based healthcare delivery, surgical outcomes, and surgical treatment decision-making among the breast cancer and extremity reconstruction populations.
As an early adopter and leading investigator on enhanced recovery after surgery protocols; which aim to reduce pain, minimize the need for narcotics, and get patients back to their normal function earlier; Dr. Parikh is dedicated to improving patient satisfaction after surgery.
Dr. Parikh received his medical degree from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, where he earned membership to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He then joined Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery. During his time at Washington University, he also completed a Master of Population Health Sciences degree and a clinical research fellowship with the university’s Institute of Public Health, which was supported by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Research Service Award. Finally, he completed specialty fellowship training in microsurgery and oncological reconstruction at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Dr. Parikh was an inaugural recipient of the Plastic Surgery Foundation Clinical Research Leaders Scholarship Award. He is involved, on a national level, with plastic surgery organizations and has served as a resident ambassador to the Editorial Board, and is currently a peer-reviewer, for the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS).
In his free time, Dr. Parikh enjoys spending time with his wife, traveling, playing basketball and soccer, and alpine skiing.
Philosophy of Care
“I am a firm believer in a personalized patient-centered approach to care. My philosophy is to provide care that is respectful of individual patient preferences, needs, and values, and to ensure that patient values guide all clinical decisions. This approach requires a true partnership with patients, one where I really listen to the individual patient’s needs and aspirations.
“I always use a shared-decision making process where patients are actively engaged. I use examples and plain language to explain different treatment options available to patients in an easy-to-understand way. After explaining all of their options, I listen to patients and work with them to help them choose the option that best accomplishes their goals and improves their individual situation.
“My goal, in addition to being an excellent healthcare provider, is to be a trustworthy and reliable colleague. I am always available to help referring physicians in any way. I encourage open and frequent communication and will always work to see referred patients as soon as possible. I will always update referring providers after I evaluate their patient and again if I provide any surgical treatment to the patient.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Breast Reconstruction
- Limb Salvage
- Lymphedema
- Microsurgery
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acquired Absence Of Breast
- Acquired Deformity Of Reconstructed Breast
- Breast And Chest Wall Disorders
- Breast Asymmetry
- Breast Deformities
- Breast Implant Illness
- Breast Implant Rupture
- Capsular Contracture
- Congenital Breast Deformities
- Deformity Of Reconstructed Breast
- Disproportion Of Reconstructed Breast
- Excess Skin
- Facial Nerve Injury
- Facial Nerve Palsy
- History Of Breast Cancer
- Lymphedema
- Nerve Injury
- Peroneal Nerve Injury
- Postmastectomy Lymphedema Syndrome
- Ptosis Of Breasts
- Radiation Induced Breast Deformity
- Ruptured Implant
- Skin Cancer
- Upper Extremity Lymphedema
Procedures I perform
- Abdominal Wall Reconstruction
- Anterolateral Thigh Flap
- Autologous Breast Tissue Reconstruction
- Body Contouring Surgery
- Breast Asymmetry Correction
- Breast Implant Deformity Correction
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breast Reconstruction With Flap Surgery
- Breast Reduction
- Breast Reinnervation
- Breast Surgery
- Breast Surgery Revision
- Chest Reconstruction Surgery
- Components Separation
- Cross Face Nerve Graft
- Cubital Tunnel Surgery
- Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap
- Direct To Implant Reconstruction
- Dynamic Muscle Transfer Face
- Excess Skin Removal
- Face Lift
- Facial Nerve Graft
- Facial Paralysis Reconstruction
- Facial Reanimation Surgery
- Free Tissue Transfer Flap
- Free Tram
- Goldilocks Mastectomy
- Hybrid Breast Reconstruction
- Implant Based Breast Reconstruction
- Latissimus Dorsi Flap
- Limb Salvage
- Lumpectomy Revision
- Lymph Node Transfer
- Male Breast Reduction
- Mammoplasty
- Mastopexy
- Micro Neurovascular Free Muscle Transplant
- Microsurgery
- Microvascular Flap Reconstruction
- Microvascular Surgery
- Mohs Defect Repair
- Muscle Sparing Tram
- Muscle Transplant
- Musculocutaneous Flap
- Nerve Reconstruction
- Nerve Transfer
- Nipple Reinnervation
- Nipple Sparing Mastectomy
- Oncologic Reconstruction
- Oncoplastic Breast Surgery
- Panniculectomy
- Pelvic Reconstruction
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery
- Post Traumatic Reconstruction
- Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction
- Profunda Artery Perforator Flap
- Reconstructive Microsurgery
- Reconstructive Plastic Surgery
- Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI) Lower Extremity
- Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI) Upper Extremity
- Sensory Reinnervation
- Skin Cancer Reconstruction
- Skin Cancer Surgery
- Skin Graft
- Skin Sparing Mastectomy
- Soft Tissue Reconstruction Of The Spine
- Sternal Wound Flap
- Superficial Inferior Epigastric Artery Flap
- Surgery For Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) Lower Extremity
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) Upper Extremity
- Thoracodorsal Artery Perforator Flap
- Tissue Expansion Surgery
- Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous Flap
- Transverse Upper Gracilis Flap
- Tug Flap
- Vascularized Bone Graft
- Wound Care
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
106 Irving Street Northwest POB Ste 3400 North Tower Washington, DC, 20010
202-877-3300Fax 202-877-3303
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
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- Carefirst EPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- D-SNP)
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Medicaid - Maryland
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- Virginia Premier
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- United Golden Rule
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- Cigna EPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- United Navigate
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna Indemnity
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Tricare East Prime
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Tricare East Select
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Choice
- United Optimum Choice
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- Innovation Health: PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Tricare for Life East
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- I-SNP
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Employee Health Plan (EHP)
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- United Select Plus (POS)
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Select
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- WellPoint Maryland
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Signature
- Aetna HMO
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Cigna Network Open Access
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Choice Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- First Health PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery
Fellowship Program: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2021)
Residency Program: Washington University/Barnes Jewish Hospital (2020)
Graduate Education: Washington University School of Medicine (2016)
Medical School: University of South Florida School of Medicine (2012)
Awards
- Clinical Research Leaders Scholarship, Inaugural Recipient: The Plastic Surgery Foundation (PSF), American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
- Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32), National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute)
- Most Outstanding Presentation, James Barrett Brown Research Day, Washington University School of Medicine)
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AΩA)