Monika Desai, MD

Overview
Monika Desai, MD, FAAPMR is an Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center's Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine. She specializes in treating pediatric individuals with physical impairments and injuries with a child and family-centered approach.
Dr. Monika Desai received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego and her medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, as well as her fellowship training in Pediatric Rehabilitation, at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein School of Medicine. Dr. Desai is board certified in both Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pediatric Rehabilitation. She is fluent in Spanish.
Dr. Desai works with children and their families using an interdisciplinary approach to address prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of congenital or childhood-onset physical impairments. Her areas of clinical interest include cerebral palsy (adult and pediatric), spasticity management including botulinum toxin injections, stroke, brain injury, concussion management, spina bifida, developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, and spinal cord injury. Using this multidisciplinary approach, she works with Physical, Occupational, and Speech therapists, as well as Prosthetists and Orthotists. Together, they help to provide appropriate therapeutic services, bracing, prosthetics, assistive devices, and/or adaptive equipment to help improve the child's anatomical alignment, maximize function, and optimize their quality of life.
Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated
- Baclofen Pump Implantation
- Botulinum Toxin (Botox Injection)
- Brain Injury
- Cerebral Palsy
- Developmental Disorder
- Gait Analysis
- Injection, Botulinum Toxin
- Intrathecal Baclofen Pump Implantation
- Musculoskeletal Disorder
- Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
- Neuromuscular Disorder
- Pediatric Cerebral Palsy
- Pediatric Stroke
- Rehabilitation After Brain Injury
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Spasticity
- Spasticity Management
- Spasticity Treatment
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Traumatic Brain Injury
Academic Appointments
- Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine at CUMC
Hospital Affiliations
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell Medical Center
Gender
- Female
Schedule an Appointment
Phone Appointments
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Location(s)
Insurance Accepted
Aetna
- Aetna Signature Administrators
- EPO
- HMO
- Medicare Managed Care
- NYP Employee Plan
- NY Signature
- POS
- PPO
- Student Health
Affinity Health Plan
- Essential Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
AgeWell
- Medicare Managed Care
- Special Needs
Amida Care
- Special Needs
Capital District Physician Health Plan
- Capital District Physician Health Plan
Cigna
- EPO
- Great West (National)
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
Emblem/GHI
- Medicare Managed Care
- PPO
Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- EPO
- Medicare Managed Care
- PPO
Fidelis Care
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
Health First
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Leaf (Exchange)
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP)
- ConnectiCare
- EPO
- Essential Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
- PPO
- Select Care (Exchange)
- Vytra
Health Plus - Amerigroup
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
Local 1199
- Local 1199
MagnaCare (National)
- MagnaCare
Medicare
- Traditional Medicare
Multiplan
- Multiplan
MVP Health Care
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid Managed Care
Oxford Health Plans
- Freedom
- Liberty
United Health Care
- Columbia Employee POS
- Compass (Exchange)
- HMO
- Medicaid (Community Plan)
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
- PPO
VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
- Medicare Managed Care
- Select Health
- Special Needs
WellCare
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- MD, 2011 St George University School Of Medicine
- Internship: 2012 Jacobi Hospital/Medical Center
- Residency: 2015 Montefiore Medical Center
- Fellowship: 2018 Montefiore Medical Center
Board Certifications
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation