About me
Shandiz Shahbazi, MD, is a highly skilled and double board-certified female gastroenterologist at MedStar Health. Dr. Shahbazi earned her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine internship and residency at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. She elevated her training with a highly sought after fellowship in gastroenterology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Dr. Shahbazi is board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology.
Along with fellowship training in gastroenterology and hepatology, she has special interests in colon cancer screening, women's gastrointestinal health, gastrointestinal bleeding, diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver disease. Dr. Shahbazi was recognized and elected to the Gold Humanism Honor Society for providing compassionate patient care and excellent clinical services – an honor received by less than five percent of medical school graduates.
Dr. Shahbazi’s approach to care centers on building authentic connections with patients and families through a shared decision-making model based on trust and collaboration. She combines that focus with serving as an advocate for colon cancer screenings and early detection as well as performing precise diagnostics and effective treatments. Such comprehensive services are conveniently available at her offices in Washington, D.C., and McLean, VA.
An award-winning and published physician, she is a lifelong learner who stays informed about advancements in the field through memberships in the American College of Gastroenterology, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and American Gastroenterological Association.
When not practicing medicine, Dr. Shahbazi enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking Persian cuisine, dancing, performing hot yoga, and traveling to explore the world’s cultures and cuisines.
Clinical areas of focus
- Abdominal Distention
- Abnormal Bowel Movement
- Abnormal Stool
- Anal Fissure
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colonoscopy
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Postprandial Diarrhea
- Rectal Pain
- Stomach Pain
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Bloating
- Abdominal Distention
- Abdominal Pain
- Abnormal Amylase Blood Test
- Abnormal Bowel Movement
- Abnormal Liver Function Blood Test
- Abnormal Stool
- Achalasia
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Altered Bowel Habits
- Anal Fissure
- Anal Itching
- Anal Pain
- Anemia
- Anorexia
- Atrophic Gastritis Without Mention Of Hemorrhage
- Benign Neoplasm Of Colon
- Blood In Stool
- Bowel Dysmotility
- Bright Red Blood Per Rectum
- Candidiasis
- Celiac Disease
- Choking Sensation
- Chronic Abdominal Pain
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Chronic Pancreatitis
- Clostridium Difficile
- Colitis
- Collagenous Colitis
- Colonic Inertia
- Colonic Polyps
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
- Diarrhea
- Digestive Disorders
- Diverticular Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Drug Induced Liver Injury
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Duodenitis
- Dysmotility
- Dyspepsia
- Dysphagia
- Early Satiety
- Elevated Lipase
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Epigastric Pain
- Esophageal Motility Disorders
- Esophagitis
- Family History Of Colon Cancer
- Family History Of Colon Polyps
- Fatty Liver
- Fecal Impaction
- Fecal Incontinence
- Flatulence
- Gastric Ulcer
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastroparesis
- Giardiasis
- Gluten Sensitivity
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hematemesis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Iron Deficiency Anemia
- Lactose Intolerance
- Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
- Left Upper Quadrant Pain
- Lymphocytic Colitis
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Stomach
- Melena
- Microscopic Colitis
- Motility Disorders
- Nausea
- Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
- Obesity
- Pancreatitis
- Pelvic Pain
- Peptic Ulcer
- Personal History Of Colonic Polyps
- Polyps
- Positive Hemoccult Fecal Occult Blood Test
- Postprandial Diarrhea
- Pouchitis
- Proctitis
- Rectal Bleeding
- Rectal Pain
- Right Lower Quadrant Pain
- Right Upper Quadrant Pain
- Stomach Cancer
- Stomach Cramps
- Stomach Disorders
- Stomach Pain
- Swallowing Problem
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Ulcerative Proctitis
- Vomiting
Procedures I perform
- Colon Polypectomy
- Colonoscopy
- Colorectal Screening
- Early Detection Of Cancer
- Endoscopy
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Screening
- Gastroscopy
- Ileoscopy
- 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
- United Navigate
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Signature
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- Kaiser Select
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- Cigna Indemnity
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Cigna Network Open Access
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- Cigna EPO
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- WellPoint Maryland
- Virginia Premier
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Optimum Choice
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna HMO
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Employee Health Plan (EHP)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Student Resources
- United Select Plus (POS)
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- United Golden Rule
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- D-SNP)
- I-SNP
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Choice Plus
- United Choice
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Medicaid - Maryland
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- Tricare for Life East
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Tricare East Select
- Tricare East Prime
- First Health PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- Carefirst EPO
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center GME (2024)
Residency: Georgetown University School of Medicine GME (2021)
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University (2018)
Awards
- National Institutes of Health Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award
- Gold Humanism Honor Society
- American College of Gastroenterology Outstanding Presenter
- American College of Physicians Regional Presentation Award
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Peer Reviewed Journal Manuscripts:
1. Allais BS, Beatson M, Wang H, Shahbazi S, Bijelic L, Jang S, Venna S. Five-Year Survival in Patients with Nodular and Superficial Spreading Melanomas in the US Population. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2021, April; 84 (4): 1015-1022.
2. Rosenberg, J.J., Higley, C., Shahbazi, S., Lewis, J.H. Selected Highlights and Controversies of Drug Induced Liver Injury from the Recent Literature. World Journal of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endoscopy. 2020, Jul; 1(2): 1-16.
3. Goey, A., Peer, C., Sissung, T., Roth, J., Shahbazi, S., Nguyen, J., Annunziata, C.M., Houston, N., Kohn, E.C., Lee, J., Figg, W.D. Effects of 24-hour carboplatin pretreatment on olaparib clearance in women's cancers using noncompartmental and population pharmacokinetic analyses. Cancer Research. 2016, Jul; 76(14): 2043.
4. Shahbazi S, Peer CJ, Figg WD. Prolonged low intensity EPOCH-rituximab has improved toxicity in Burkitt lymphoma compared with standard short, high intensity therapy. Cancer Biology and Therapy. 2014.
5. Peer CJ, Rao M, Spencer SD, Shahbazi S, Steeg PS, Schrump DJ, Figg WD. A rapid ultra HPLC MS/MS method for the quantitation and pharmacokinetic analysis of 3-deazenplanocin A in mice. Journal Chromatography B. 2013.
6. Shahbazi S, Peer CJ, Polizzotto MN, Uldrick TS, Roth J, Wyvill KM, Aleman K, Zeldis JB, Yarchoan R, Figg WD. A sensitive and robust HPLC assay with fluorescence for the quantification of pomalidomide in human plasma for pharmacokinetic analyses. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2014.
Peer Reviewed Abstracts:
1. Shahbazi S, Higley C, Vavilin I, Yan W, Shu A, Neupane, R, Sharma D, Stone B, Stevens A, Haddad N, Nadella S. Trends of gallstone associated acute pancreatitis within a large health management organization. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 115: p S27, October 2020.
2. Shu A, Higley C, Nepane R, Sharma D, Stone B, Yan W, Stevens A, Shahbazi S, Vavilin I., Haddad N, Nadella S. Real-world practices of same-admission cholecystectomy in gallstone pancreatitis. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 115: p S20, October 2020.
3. Vavilin I, Higley C, Shahbazi S, Shu A, Yan W, Neupane R, Sharma D, Stone B, Stevens A, Haddad N, Nadella S. Factors associated with increased length of stay in acute pancreatitis: a review from a large healthcare system. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 115: p S1621-1622, October 2020.
4. Yan W, Shahbazi S, Sharma D, Vavilin I, Stone B, Higley C, Shu A, Neupane R, Stevens A, Haddad N, Nadella S. Acute Pancreatitis requiring critical care: Patient characteristics, diagnostic patterns and outcomes from a large multi-state health system. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 115: p S51, October 2020.
5. Yan W, Shahbazi S, Vavilin I, Higley C, Shu A, Neupane R, Sharma D, Stone B, Haddad N, Nadella S. Diagnostic trends and clinical course of non-gallstone-non-alcohol-associated acute pancreatitis within a large health system. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 115: p S50-S51, October 2020.
6. Alsaadi D, Shahbazi S, Stone B, Yan W, Stevens A, Lewis J.H. Hypoxic Hepatitis is Underrecognized and Underdiagnosed in the ICU. Gastroenterology, Volume 158, Issue 6, S-1140- S1141, May 2020.
7. Alsaadi D, Stone B, Shahbazi S, Yan W, Stevens A, Lewis J.H. The Etiology of Elevated Aminotransferases in the ICU and their Effect on Mortality. Gastroenterology, Volume 158, Issue 6, S-1308, May 2020.
8. Saunders B, Shahbazi S, Wang H, Jang S, Venna S. Five-year survival in patients with nodular and superficial spreading melanomas in the US population. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Vol 74, Issue 5. Poster Abstracts, May 2016.
9. Shahbazi S, Saunders B, Wang H, Jang S, Venna S. (May 2016). Survival in desmoplastic melanoma patients with or without adjuvant radiation. Journal of American Academy of Dermatology. Vol 74, Issue 5. Poster Abstracts, May 2016.