Jennifer R. Santiago, MD, has excelled as a board-certified physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology since 2003. Raised in New Jersey by a family with a strong tradition of careers in medicine, Dr. Santiago was inspired to follow the example of her mother and grand-aunt, both women’s health care providers, and could never imagine doing anything else. Her passion for women’s health care was reinforced by the experiences of her peers, and she has dedicated her career to ensuring that high-quality and compassionate gynecological and obstetric medicine is available to all.
Dr. Santiago earned a Bachelor of Arts in biology at Bryn Mawr College in 1995 and was awarded her Doctor of Medicine in 1999 by the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She began her residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Cornell Medical Center in 1999, and was named Resident Teacher of the Year in 2001. After completing her residency in 2003, Dr. Santiago entered private practice in northern Virginia, spending five years at Perfectly Female Women’s Health Care before joining OBGYN NOVA PLLC in 2007. Between 2014 and 2021, Dr. Santiago was a provider and teacher with the GW Medical Faculty Associates, a nonprofit medical group composed of faculty of The George Washington University, and she has been recognized for her work with students at the university with several teaching awards.
Currently, Dr. Santiago sees patients at OBGYN NOVA, where she serves as chair of the obstetrics and gynecology department. In addition to obstetrics and preventive care for patients of all ages, her practice focuses on pain and non-invasive gynecologic surgery. She enjoys the challenge and opportunities inherent in caring for patients from adolescence through their senior years, and emphasizes patient education and a collaborative model of health care in her work. Dr. Santiago attributes her success to her ongoing passion for medicine and clinical work, and hopes to continue to grow as a professional and a leader as she continues her practice.
Over the past two years, Dr. Santiago has been a key member of the OBGYN NOVA COVID-19 Task Force, a role she credits with helping her develop a broader perspective on patient care across facilities and sharpening her skills as a medical administrator. In the coming years, she hopes to be able to further explore opportunities in medical administration, critical care, and policy while maintaining a private practice. She emphasizes the need for communication and patient education in creating positive health care outcomes and keeping patients active in the decision-making process, and looks forward to bringing her experiences on the COVID-19 Task Force into her routine clinical work.
Dr. Santiago was named a Top Doctor by the Washingtonian in 2015, and has been previously featured as a Marquis Who’s Who Top Professionals and among Who’s Who of Professional Women. Outside her medical practice, she enjoys the outdoors and is an avid runner and hiker. For the last four years, Dr. Santiago has been a vocalist and keyboard player in a local band, and loves performing and expressing her creative vision through music.
