Metropolitan Pediatrics

Started going there since we moved to Virginia 2 years ago. Dr. Gandhi is amazing! He is compassionate and doesn’t push drugs. He listens and makes great recommendations. I also like the fact that they open Saturday mornings for emergencies. I have seen other doctors there and they are very good, but I feel that Dr. Gandhi is more in tune with my children’s needs and I prefer, but I am fine seeing the others too. My children love going there and I recommend this practice to anyone.

I’m very torn about Metropolitan Pediatrics. My daughters have seen both Dr. Gandhi and Dr. Meza and both were knowledgeable, attentive, and kind. Scheduling same day appointments for emergencies and illnesses has been very easy (which is not typically the case for most practices). That said, there are several things that annoy be greatly about this practice. 1) When you try to call and the line is busy, you are explicitly instructed NOT to leave a voicemail. We are all busy, working parents and to not have a «call back» option is impractical and just poor service. 2) I have frequently scheduled 8:40 am appointments for my children. The receptionists will NOT open the door to the office until 8:30 at the very earliest (even when they are inside and patients are outside knocking) and sometimes well after 8:30. I find this very rude when patients with sick children and little newborns (and strollers and carseats!) are standing and waiting in the hallway. They don’t need to see patients early but they could at least let you come in and sit down to wait. 3) I always feel rushed out of the room after an appointment. There are signs instructing you not to change your children’s diaper in order to free the room for the next patient. While I understand the need for efficiency, a pediatrician’s office should schedule appointments to accommodate parents of newborns (who may need time for emergency diaper changes, to nurse a hungry infant, or to calm a crying infant after a shot). My prior pediatrician allowed patients to take all the time they need after a check-​up and never pressured me to vacate the exam room.

We chose this office because it’s conveniently located and I’m glad to say the care and service turned out great. The doctors are attentive and available for urgent appointments. They do switch doctors without warning, though. Parking is super easy. Usually wait times and crowding are reasonable, though we’ve had one instance where over 40 people were crammed into the small waiting area, including newborns and sick children. The front desk staff are ok to deal with, on a doctor’s office front desk staff scale. The online portal is great in theory, but we haven’t found a way to actually access it since we haven’t been able to get a password — I tried both over the phone and in person, to no avail.
The waiting area was nicely renovated about a year ago. However, I have to wonder about the large TV that is playing violent cartoons at high volume levels in the waiting room. The AAP recommends NO screen time before age 2 and limiting screen time for children from age 2. So, really: there should not be any TV in the pediatrician’s office.

I wish there was a sixth star to give here. The service provided, location convenience, and even the layout and design of the office is wonderful.
It is difficult to over-​praise their use of technology for scheduling, record keeping, and communication as well.
Wonderful practice. Every time my family is in the area we will be using them!

I am very impressed by the staff and doctors at Metropolitan Pediatrics. So far, we have seen Dr. Gandhi and Dr. Meza — both have been wonderful. They are very caring and thorough. At our very first appointment, Dr. Gandhi sat down and took the time to talk us through a number of common issues and concerns related to newborns. Each time we’ve met with Dr. Gandhi or Dr. Meza, they take the time to listen and address any concerns we have — no matter how trivial they may be. We had one issue that we emailed Dr. Gandhi about and not only did he (and the other doctors at the practice) watch the video we sent, he called us back on a Friday night to discuss next steps and alleviate our concerns. They seem to genuinely care for their patients and I have not seen that very often these days. If you are looking for a pediatrician, we would highly recommend Dr. Gandhi and his associates. Also, they have recently renovated their offices so they now have a sick and well child waiting area that is very spacious!

I have been taking my kids to see Dr. Meza. She is thorough and takes her time with them. She is a good listener and seems genuinely concerned about their well being. She also remembers them from visit to visit and always has something nice to say. We worked with her and another professional when she had to change medications for one of my children and she was very open to the process.

Have had both of my kids as patients at Metropolitan Peds. Doctors are ok. Dr. McCarthy is better than the others. But there’s new docs all the time seemingly. No continuity. Dr. Gandhi is mediocre at best. But the real pain point is the staff. Each and every one is TERRIBLE. The worst I’ve ever encountered. Rude, lazy and unhelpful. And lots of attitude. Makes me cringe every time I have to go into the office. Worst of all though, you just get the sense that no one here really cares all that much. This is industrial healthcare and you get no sense of passion from ANYONE here, including the doctors. Phone calls don’t get returned, no one does followups. Avoid this practice.

We love Dr. McCarthy. She is hip, real, responsive, friendly and all the things we look for in a pediatrician. I like that the office communicates through an online portal, which helps us keep track of things. I also love that they are open on Saturdays and except walk-​ins.

We took our son to Metropolitan Pediatrics from the time he was an infant (I gave birth at VHC and Dr. Gandhi was always available with any issues my son had while we were there) to 9 months. We really liked the practice and were forced to switch only because of a move.
We saw Drs Gandhi and McCarthy and always came away from the appointments with our questions answered and comfortable with what they told us — both very important for new parents. We never felt rushed during the appts and always felt like they gave honest answers, and not «textbook» ones.
I had to call a few times during office hours about issues with my baby, and Dr. McCarthy always called back in a relatively short amount of time (none of my issues were very serious).
The waiting room is small and we didn’t always get a seat, but there were toys and cartoons on to entertain everyone while we waited. And the front desk staff was always friendly.
Parking was convenient and easy.
I would highly recommend Metropolitan Pediatrics to anyone in the area looking for a small, personal practice with pediatricians who really care about their patients!