Vanita Rahman, MD, DipABLM

Vanita Rahman, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine and lifestyle medicine physician, certified nutritionist, and personal trainer. She is a native of the Washington, D.C., area and earned her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Virginia. She completed her internal medicine residency at the Washington Hospital Center and has authored several books on plant-based nutrition. 

Prior to joining the Barnard Medical Center, Dr. Rahman spent more than 15 years practicing internal medicine with Kaiser Permanente, where she launched a very popular and successful plant-based weight loss program. While medications and surgical procedures can be necessary and lifesaving, Dr. Rahman firmly believes that nutrition and lifestyle play a crucial role in the prevention and management of most common diseases. She maintains that it is important to treat all aspects of a patient's health, including diet, exercise, sleep habits, and stress management.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, exercising, and experimenting with plant-based recipes.

“After my telehealth visit with Dr. Rahman, I felt a sense of relief like a heavy weight had been taken off my shoulders. She gave me hope for addressing my health needs with positive outcomes.” – Anonymous

“Dr. Rahman did an excellent job of combining personal attention and professional expertise. I felt heard without condescension, which is, for me, a rare experience in a doctor’s appointment. Dr. Rahman had concrete suggestions for next steps and answered my questions thoroughly. I left the appointment feeling like I actually received health care, not just another rushed interaction with a service provider. I am encouraged.” – C.M

“It was such a relief to have a doctor listen and work with me with my diabetes. She put a plan of action in clear view to get me healthy again and not just treat me but to try and heal me. – M.B.

“Dr. Rahman always is on top of things and goes the extra mile to make sure I’m aware of health issues I should address.” – C.G.

“Dr. Rahman is great, very good listener and very responsive to my needs.” – L.L.

“I feel very lucky to have access to the Barnard Medical Center and Dr. Rahman specifically. I am grateful to have found an MD who promotes a whole food plant-based diet for health.” – S.P.

“She is consistent in assisting me to obtain a better health report through a lifestyle change. It has been a gentle push to specialists and other tests that are providing hard numbers and a clear portrait of my overall wellness. I appreciate this candor and compassion.” – I.J.

“Dr. Rahman made a very positive first impression. I'm looking forward to working with her.” – D.G.

“Extremely professional, engaged, compassionate & competent. Feel very comfortable with her care.” – M.P

“I was extremely pleased with the telehealth visit with Dr. Vanita Rahman. Although the reason for my visit did not provide me with any additional information regarding the nature of my visit, Dr. Rahman addressed my concerns in a polite and professional manner. I really appreciated the time Dr. Rahman spent with me and it made me realize the importance to continue with my current treatment for my condition.” – A.B.

“Dr. Rahman is awesome, very welcoming and knowledgeable. I appreciate her expertise and her kindness.” – T.W.

“I really liked Dr. Rahman and felt that she met my needs very well during the appointment. I was seeing her for a very specific reason, and she addressed my concerns.” – G.T.

“Dr. Rahman listened attentively to my concerns. She explained her recommendations and answered questions clearly conveying a thoughtfulness and sense of concern that put me at ease and earned my complete confidence.” – L.R.

“Great experience. I really liked her and felt she was very professional and highly competent.” – M.M.

“Dr. Rahman was fantastic and did a great job listening to my history and concerns, and devising a plan to address those. I am extremely grateful for her expertise and support, and I very much look forward to continuing to explore the best options for me. I highly recommend her personally and Barnard Medical Center generally.” – B.S.

“Dr. Rahman is great. I'm grateful that she took the time to listen to my history, my thyroid problems, and concerns. When my cholesterol was altered because of my bad eating habits, she gave me orientation to revert this situation with a diet, and she also referred me to a dietician. After a few months my cholesterol was low, good and back to normal. I appreciate having orientation from a doctor who supports vegan diets and knows about the latest research.” – A.S.

“Dr. Rahman makes me feel heard and understood and that is very important to me.” – T.H.

“I have been WFPB for 17 years and I am pleased that I have access to Dr. Rahman who can work with me knowledgably. I enjoyed talking with her and her advice seemed very reasonable.” – W.S.

“Dr. Rahman was very professional and listened to me. I feel that my needs are in line with the care that she will be able to provide to me.” – R.B.

“I am excited to begin working with Dr. Rahman to maximize my health. I am happy to finally be working with a doctor who believes in lifestyle medicine and the value of WFPB diet.” – J.B.