Dr. Mariam Ameri is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology and is board certified in musculoskeletal ultrasound by the American college of rheumatology.
Dr Ameri attended the George Washington University for her undergraduate studies and graduated magna cum laude. She obtained her medical degree from Saba University School of Medicine in the Netherlands-Antilles. She completed her Internship and Internal Medicine residency at Case Western Reserve University/Metrohealth in 2012 and a two-year fellowship in Rheumatology at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville in 2014. |
Susan Berger M.D., FACRPrior to joining the practice in June 2013, Dr Berger has worked as an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, as well as in private practice in Lansing, Michigan where she also assisted with clinical research trials.
She completed her medical residency and sub-specialty fellowship in rheumatology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Berger has more than 10 years of clinical experience and is currently accepting new patients at our Annapolis office. Her goal as a physician is to devise an individual treatment plan for each patient, in order to help patients help themselves. |
Primal Bhatia M.D., FACRDr. Primal Bhatia is a board certified Rheumatologist. Prior to joining the practice in November 2017, Dr Bhatia has worked in Private Practice in Catonsville for four years.
She completed her medical residency at Mercy Catholic Medical Center/Hahneman University, Philadelphia and subspeciality rheumatology Fellowship at the Washington Hospital Center in D.C.. Dr. Bhatia is currently accepting new patients at our Annapolis and Clarksville offices. Her goal as a physician is to collaborate with patients to help them create an individualized plan to recovery and wellness |
Ashok Jacob M.D., FACRDr. Ashok Jacob is board certified in both Rheumatology and Internal Medicine. Dr. Jacob started practicing in Maryland in 2007, following his completion of a two-year fellowship in Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He had completed his Internal Medicine residency at the Mercy Health System in Philadelphia in 2005 and prior to this graduated with a Masters in Public Health in the field of Community Health Education from the University of Maryland, College Park.
In addition to maintaining a full clinical practice, Dr Jacob is also very interested in research and evidence based medicine. He is the author of several peer reviewed articles in prestigious journals including the New England Journal of Medicine and American Journal of Medicine. Dr Jacob is currently a diplomate of the American board of internal medicine and rheumatology and a fellow of the American college of Rheumatology and American institute of Ultrasound in medicine. Dr Jacob has been consistently ranked a Top Doctor in Rheumatology by his peers as published in the biennial Whats Up Magazine in 2013, 2015 and 2017. |
Sumit Kunwar M.D., FACRDr Sumit Kunwar is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology.
He joined us after completing his fellowship program at the Georgetown University Washington Hospital Center program. Prior to his rheumatology fellowship Dr Kunwar was an internist at the Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia, NH where he was also a clinical assistant professor in Internal Medicine at the University of New England. He is an avid clinical researcher with a keen interest in systematic reviews and meta-analysis. He has published extensively in medical journals. Dr. Kunwar sees patients at our Bel Air office. |
Jonathan Miller M.D., FACRDr. Miller is dedicated to the art and science of modern medicine, and strives to find practical and effective treatments for his patients. He is triple board certified, holding certifications in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology & Immunology, as well as Musculoskeletal Ultrasound. He also maintains a certification in Medical Cannabis from the Cannabis Clinicians Colorado organization.
In 2010, Dr. Miller completed his medical school training and went on to complete a one year Internship in General Surgery, followed by 3 years of Internal Medicine residency at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey. Subsequently, he completed his fellowship in Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC in 2016. At that time, Dr. Miller joined Annapolis Rheumatology and has had the pleasure of watching the practice grow, becoming a partner in 2022. Dr. Miller treats a wide variety of autoimmune conditions along with degenerative, age-related forms of arthritis, however has a particular interest in Gout, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Lupus. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his partner and his two dogs, Chloe and Picasso, as well as cross training, hiking, skiing, cooking, and traveling. Dr. Miller currently sees patients at the Annapolis & Alexandria offices, and is accepting new patients in both locations. |
Sirajum Munira M.D., F.A.C.RDr. Sirajum Munira is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
She completed the Rheumatology fellowship program at The Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University. She also worked as a hospitalist at the Saint Agnes Hospital after completing her Internal Medicine residency at the Saint Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD. Dr Munira sees patients in our Bel Air & Owings Mills offices in MD. |
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Julie Paul M.D.Dr. Julie Paul is a board certified Internist and Rheumatologist with a passion for delivering high-quality, patient-centered healthcare.
Originally from England, she completed her medical school at the University of Cambridge, graduating with Distinction. She then moved to the USA to complete her Internal Medicine residency training at the University of Maryland Capital Region where she also was the Chief Resident. She then completed her two-year Rheumatology fellowship at the University of Maryland Medical Center and Baltimore VA Medical Center. Dr Paul believes in working collaboratively with her patients, using an evidence-based approach to help them achieve their personal goals. She is thrilled to be joining Annapolis Rheumatology and is seeing patients at our Bel Air office. Leili Parsa M.D., FACRDr. Leili Parsa is a Board certified rheumatologist and internist who received her medical doctorate (M.D.) from Tehran University with honors. Dr. Parsa completed her internal medicine residency at the Union Memorial Hospital followed by her Rheumatology Fellowship at the Washington Hospital Center / Georgetown University.
Clinically, Dr. Parsa is experienced and interested in management of rheumatological disorders involving joints, muscles, tendons, and bones. She is an expert in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, pseudo-gout, osteoporosis and ankylosing spondylitis. Dr. Parsa actively treats autoimmune disorders including systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren, polymyalgia rheumatica, scleroderma, temporal arteritis and other vasculitis. Dr. Parsa’s true passion is to provide the best, the most up-to-date and the most comprehensive evidence-based care for her patients to alleviate their suffering from rheumatologic conditions. Dr. Parsa sees Patients in our Clarksville & Annapolis offices in MD & Fairfax in VA. |
Paola Pinto M.D., FACRDr. Paola Pinto is board certified in Rheumatology and Internal Medicine. She is an American College of Rheumatology certified Musculokeletal Ultrasonographer and specialized in Autoinflammatory Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
She earned her medical degree at Universidad Pedagogica y Tecnologica de Colombia, completed her residency in internal medicine and fellowship in rheumatology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she graduated as chief fellow in 2012. She has experience in academic rheumatology obtained at the NIH, were she was a clinical researcher with the Autoinflammatory Diseases Group at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and a professor at the Rheumatology Fellowship Program with the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). She was the director of the Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Clinic at the NIH Clinical Center. Dr. Pinto has co-authored multiple peer reviewed medical articles published in prestigious medical journals including Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; she also has been a frequent platform and poster presenter at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting. Dr. Pinto sees patients at our location in the Fair Oaks Hospital Campus in Fairfax, Virginia. |
Yiran “Mike” Jiang, M.D.Dr. Jiang is an Internist and Rheumatologist with a passion for providing patient-centered care for rheumatic diseases. He graduated from medical school at Indiana University followed by Internal Medicine residency at University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. He then completed his Rheumatology fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee where he served as Chief Fellow. Having presented at both regional and national Rheumatology meetings, Dr. Jiang is committed to staying at the forefront of research and treatment for his patients.
Through his time living around the US, from the Southwest to the Northeast, he has developed an appreciation for the strengths of different communities and the challenges faced by patients on a daily basis. He is dedicated to working with patients on understanding their disease and finding a personalized, evidence based treatment plan. Dr. Jiang is proud to join Annapolis Rheumatology and currently sees patients at our Annapolis and Bel Air locations in Maryland. |
Heidi Sami M.D., FACRDr Heidi Sami is Board Certified in both internal medicine and Rheumatology.
She graduated from the American University of Antigua and completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at the Medstar Union Memorial hospital in Baltimore in 2013 and subsequently did her fellowship in rheumatology and clinical immunology at the George Washington University hospital in Washington DC. She is a certified Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Specialist from the American College of Rheumatology. Dr. Sami sees patients at our Alexandria and Fairfax offices in Virginia. |
Sonie Upreti, M.D., FACRDr Upreti is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Having completed an esteemed Internal Medicine residency program at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), she gained extensive knowledge and experience in diagnosing and treating a wide range of medical conditions. To further specialize in Rheumatology, Dr. Upreti pursued a fellowship at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where she honed her expertise in the field. During this time, Dr. Upreti served as a Chief fellow, demonstrating exceptional leadership skills and a commitment to excellence. Her dedication to staying at the forefront of medical advancements is evident through her completion of the USSONAR and RhMSUS certification in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound, ensuring accurate and precise diagnoses. With a passion for delivering high-quality healthcare, Dr. Upreti combines her extensive medical knowledge with a compassionate approach to patient care. She strives to provide personalized treatment plans that addresses the unique needs of each individual, promoting optimal health and well-being. Dr. Upreti is committed to ongoing professional development and remains actively engaged in research and education within the field of Rheumatology. Her dedication to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes makes her a valuable asset to the medical community. Dr. Upreti sees patients at our Annapolis & Pasadena offices. |
Zuhal Arzomand, M.D., FACRDr. Zuhal Arzomand is a double board certified physician in both Rheumatology and Internal Medicine.
She completed her internal medicine residency at Roger Williams Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island. She then went on to complete her rheumatology fellowship at Brown University. During her fellowship she became proficient in musculoskeletal ultrasound, took part in combined dermatology/rheumatology clinics and managed a wide variety of rheumatic conditions. She is a member of several professional organizations including the American College of Rheumatology, Association of Women in Rheumatology, American College of Physicians and American Medical Association. Dr. Arzomand has published numerous textbook chapters on topics including Basic Calcium Phosphate Deposition Disease, Lyme Arthritis and Osteoarthritis. Dr. Arzomand is passionate about creating a strong physician-patient relationship and understands good communication is important to ensuring positive health outcomes. She has always made giving back to the community a priority and volunteers for many organizations including the Arthritis Foundation. Outside of work, Dr. Arzomand enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time with her family. In addition to English, she is fluent in Farsi/Dari and speaks conversational Spanish. Dr. Arzomand sees patients at our Alexandria, Virginia office. |
Asha Alex, M.D., FACR |
Dr. Asha Alex is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology and is board certified in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound by the American college of rheumatology.
Dr. Alex obtained her medical degree from Amrita school of Medicine in Kerala, India. She completed her Internship and Internal Medicine residency at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois and a two-year fellowship in Rheumatology at the Georgetown University Hospital and DC VAMC in Washington DC. Dr Alex previously worked at Sinai Hospital and has been voted Top Doctor by Baltimore magazine in 2022. Her clinical interests include Rheumatoid Arthritis, SLE, Myositis, Vasculitis, Gout and Osteoarthritis. Dr. Alex sees patients in Owings Mills and Bel Air |
Louis Saade, M.D., FACPDr. Saade is an internist, rheumatologist, and immunologist. He firmly believes in giving back to the community through his active involvement in research, education, and leadership roles—a commitment reflected in his impressive career trajectory.
Upon completion of his Internal Medicine training, Dr. Saade served as a chief medical resident, and appointed as the Co-Chair of Chief Resident Association of Baltimore in 2017. His distinguished service in this role was recognized with an outstanding service award by the Maryland ACP. Following his tenure as chief resident, Dr. Saade received a faculty appointment as an assistant professor at Georgetown University and served as a faculty physician at the MedStar Health Internal Medicine residency program. During this time, he completed two years of training in Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) and earned a Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC). After these achievements, he accepted the role of associate program director for the Internal Medicine (IM) residency program at MedStar Health – Baltimore, serving for six months before embarking on advanced training in rheumatology and immunology. Dr. Saade extensively trained in rheumatology and immunology at the University of Pittsburgh, gaining expertise in both common and rare specialties. His robust training across five hospitals and more than ten specialized clinics prepared him to manage complex cases confidently. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Saade has made substantial contributions to research. He led a large-scale myositis research project, working alongside world-renowned experts in the field. He also initiated quality improvement projects aimed at the early identification and swift implementation of treatments for life-threatening autoimmune diseases. His hard work led to his appointment as chief fellow, a testament to his expertise and leadership |
Madhavi Rao, M.D.
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Dr. Madhavi Rao is an Internist and Rheumatologist committed to providing excellent care for her patients. Originally from India, she graduated from medical school in Bangalore,India following which she moved to Boston to complete her Internal Medicine residency training at Tufts Medical Center. It is here where her love for Rheumatology bloomed.
She relocated to Baltimore where she initially worked as a Hospitalist/Instructor in the Division of Hospital Medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital for one year. She then completed her two year fellowship training in Rheumatology at University of Maryland Medical Center and Baltimore VA Medical Center before joining our practice in August 2023. Dr. Rao believes in a strong patient-physician relationship, in empowering patients to learn more about their diseases and is also always open to feedback to improve medical care. Outside of Rheumatology, Dr. Rao enjoys excellent food, yoga, spicy margaritas and spending time with her husband and extremely fluffy cat. |

Jung Whan “James” Yoon, D.O., M.P.H
Dr. Jung Whan (James) Yoon was born in South Korea and came to Charlottesville, VA in his late teens. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Upon graduation, he pursued master's studies – an MPH from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and an MS in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Yoon earned his medical degree at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, Missouri and completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology Fellowship training at Bayonet Point Regional Medical Center/HCA Healthcare/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Yoon has written and presented research abstracts and posters at local and national levels. His areas of interest include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic sclerosis, vasculitis, and osteoporosis.
Away from the office, Dr. Yoon enjoys spending time with his wife and son outdoors, watching and playing soccer, and traveling. In addition to English, he is fluent in Korean.
Dr. Jung Whan (James) Yoon was born in South Korea and came to Charlottesville, VA in his late teens. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Upon graduation, he pursued master's studies – an MPH from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and an MS in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Yoon earned his medical degree at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, Missouri and completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology Fellowship training at Bayonet Point Regional Medical Center/HCA Healthcare/University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Yoon has written and presented research abstracts and posters at local and national levels. His areas of interest include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic sclerosis, vasculitis, and osteoporosis.
Away from the office, Dr. Yoon enjoys spending time with his wife and son outdoors, watching and playing soccer, and traveling. In addition to English, he is fluent in Korean.