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Zack Berger

Zack Berger, MD, PhD

Gender Affirming CareInternal Medicine

Highlights

Age Groups Seen

  • Young Adult 18-25
  • Adult 26-64
  • Older Adult 65+

Languages

  • Russian
  • Chinese - Mandarin
  • Yiddish
  • Spanish
  • Hebrew
  • English

Gender

Male

Johns Hopkins Affiliations:

  • Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty

About Zack Berger

Physician’s Office Phone

443-287-6393

Primary Academic Title

Professor of Medicine

Johns Hopkins Physician

Logo for Johns Hopkins Physician

Background

Dr. Berger is Professor in the Johns Hopkins Division of General Internal Medicine and Core Faculty at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, with a joint appointment in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. With an active practice in primary care internal medicine at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Berger focuses his clinical, educational, and research work, as well as his widely read publications for the lay public, on the ways in which shared decision making in the doctor-patient encounter might be in conflict with medical evidence and the political, social, and psychological realities of the patient.

Dr. Berger teaches residents in their internal medicine clinic and medical students on the wards at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and is part of a Berman faculty team which teaches bioethics to residents in a number of Johns Hopkins specialty programs. He is also staff physician at the Esperanza Clinic Health Center, a free clinic serving undocumented Spanish-speaking immigrants.

Dr. Berger is the author of two books, and editor of a jointly written volume, for the lay public on doctor-patient communication and on patient preference in the context of medical evidence. 

Research Interests

Bioethics, Doctor-patient communication, Role of the primary care provider in cancer survivorship, Shared decision making and patient-centered care, Social media and health

Lab Website

Zackary Berger Lab

  • The research mission of the Zackary Berger Lab is to bridge evidence-based medicine and shared decision-making in the context of patient-centered care. Lab studies investigate how to accomplish this in the common case of uncertainty, while seeking to clarify the ethics of decision-making and empirically describe how shared decision-making is and should be done. Zackary Berger, MD, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In addition to his work as an internist and primary care physician, Dr. Berger is an associate faculty member in the Berman Institute of Bioethics, and core faculty in the Evidence Based Practice Center as well as the Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research.

Research Summary

An internist, clinical epidemiologist, and bioethicist, Dr. Berger’s clinical, educational, and research work is located at the intersection of shared decision making, patient-centered care and evidence-based medicine. How to make sense of a sharing patient-physician relationship in the context of social and political inequities is a central question underlying much of our health system’s imperfections. Dr. Berger is using interdisciplinary techniques to explore possible answers, especially among vulnerable and victimized populations.

Graduate Program Affiliations

  • Associate Faculty, Berman Institute for BioethicsAssistant Professor (Joint Appointment), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society

Memberships

  • American Association of Communication in Healthcare
  • Society of General Internal Medicine

Locations

  1. Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., Outpatient Center
  2. The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Expertise

Education

  • Residency: NYU Langone Hospital, Medicine, 2009
  • Medical Education: New York University School of Medicine, MD, 2006
  • Graduate School: New York University School of Medicine, PhD, 2004
  • Medical Education: New York University School of Medicine, MD, 1998

Board Certifications

  • Internal Medicine: American Board of Internal Medicine, 2010

Insurance

Please contact the location directly to confirm your health plan is accepted.
Search plans
  • Aetna
  • CareFirst
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Geisinger Health Plan
  • HealthSmart/Accel
  • Johns Hopkins Health Plans
  • MultiPlan
  • Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
  • Point Comfort Underwriters
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)

Ratings & Reviews

4.8 out of 5

59 ratings, 33 reviews

The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

Overall Rating by Patient
Provider Listened Carefully
Provider Explained Things Clearly
Provider Knew Medical History
Provider Showed Respect
Provider Spent Enough Time
Search reviews
    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 3/23/2026

    Dr. Berger, is very attentive, and a true professional.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 3/23/2026

    Dr. Berger is very professional and attentive to my concerns. He takes the time to cover my overall condition. I truly appreciate that.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 3/23/2026

    Very patient and considerate. Always considerate your circumstances.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 3/19/2026

    Dr Berger was very thorough and suggested ideas for improving my quality of life, then made referrals to make that happen. He didn't push but asked if I was interested. Felt like a collaboration

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 3/16/2026

    Couldn't ask for a better PCP! I am truly grateful to have the privilege of having been a patient of Dr. Berger for as many years as I have.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 3/5/2026

    DR Berger has been such a help by being informed and aware of my conditions and health before hand. He has helped me navigate through a post Stage 4 lung cancer where now I have to deal with new issues. He has a plan for me that helps me feel less anxious even though there are a lot of health issues I need to deal with. He is so knowledgeable and smart that it gives me such a sense of trust and security. I feel very heard and respected. I feel like my health is taken very serious.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 3/2/2026

    The Provider was EXCELLENT!! He was knowledgeable about my past health issues. He recommended things I could do to help my quality of life. He was extremely thorough!! Very kind!

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 2/23/2026

    I love my provider and he always listens to me and give me good advise

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 2/16/2026

    Very engaged and genuine. I really appreciated that he reviewed my file prior to my appointment

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 2/5/2026

    Sincere, Professional

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 2/2/2026

    Dr. Berger addressed all my concerns, asked questions and ordered the tests to examine my health issues more closely.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 1/29/2026

    Very professional

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 1/15/2026

    Very kind & concerned

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 1/9/2026

    Great management of my overall health care and specific interventions required.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 1/9/2026

    Excellent, intuitive, insightful

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 12/11/2025

    Dr Berger is among the best providers I've had. He's compassionate, an excellent listener, and proactive advocate for my health. I regularly recommend him and his PA [staff] to my friends with complex health conditions.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 12/11/2025

    He's a very enthusiastic and accommodating doctor. He'll give suggestions but also allow you to decide how you want to go about approaching any concerns you may have about your health.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 12/11/2025

    This was my first visit with Dr Berger and it was a positive experience , where I felt relieved that he would be my doctor. He was very concerned and respectful. Of my health and history. He also presented a plan to go forward that helped so much because I have a few medical conditions that effect my daily life.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 11/13/2025

    Dr. Berger is a consistently outstanding PCP. I would hate to ever lose him as part of my care team m. He demonstrates that his concern for my health is genuine, and he actively listens to every concern I have at each visit.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 11/10/2025

    I love Dr Berger. Sent me a message through my chart before I got home from appointment.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 10/9/2025

    He great , and knows his profession

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 9/22/2025

    Dr. Berger is a seasoned professional and always presents himself as such. He always listens attentively and addresses all of my concerns. I've been a patient of Dr. Berger for a number of years and he sincerely cares for me and has my best interest in mind. As a retired U.S. Navy Veteran, I have a serious medical condition and I look for and keep the best doctors. I appreciate all the assistance provided by Dr. Berger.

    4 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 9/15/2025

    He is good.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 9/8/2025

    Amazing, concerned, and thoughtful! The most at ease I have felt in any medical environment!

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 8/28/2025

    Dr Berger listened to me and did not rush. He gave helpful suggestions and gave me space to decide for myself.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 8/11/2025

    Dr. Berger is great. He's thoughtful, attentive, and helpful.

    3 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 8/11/2025

    I truly cannot stand this doctor. I will be switching soon.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 8/7/2025

    Always very helpful

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 8/4/2025

    I like my provider. He tried to make my visit very helpful as to assist me in trying to help me figure out a plan to schedule my medications intake.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 7/24/2025

    My home is in Virginia 200 miles from Baltimore. Dr Berger is licensed to practice medicine in Maryland. Consequently, I must travel to Baltimore to see my Primary Care Physician.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 6/30/2025

    We mainly talked in regards about my access to my HRT Medicine that recently I've had a problem getting from the pharmacy. Hopefully that problem has now been corrected at The John's Hopkins Pharmacy Level.

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 5/29/2025

    Very understanding and patient. Always seems to have a suggestive solution to medical or personal issues

    5 out of 5 stars
    Reviewed on 5/22/2025

    Ive been with Dr. Berger for quite awhile and I am very satisfied.