Family Medicine & Obesity Medicine · U.S. Navy Veteran
Dr. Sylvia Luther, MD is a U.S. Navy veteran and a double board-certified physician in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine. She provides primary care at Prima Medicine’s Merrifield and Fairfax offices.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology from Stanford University. She then attended George Washington University School of Medicine on a Navy scholarship, and completed a transitional internship at Naval Hospital San Diego.
After Flight Surgeon School, Dr. Luther was designated a Naval Flight Surgeon and served with Carrier Air Wing Eight aboard the USS John F. Kennedy. She cared for 2,500 air wing personnel, served as the flight surgeon member of an Aviation Mishap Board, and earned the Navy Achievement Medal.
Dr. Luther came to Northern Virginia for her Family Medicine residency at Fairfax Family Practice, affiliated with the Medical College of Virginia, where she was selected Academic Chief Resident. In that role she taught the residency’s evidence-based medicine curriculum and reviewed research for the Journal of Family Practice. She continued serving as a Naval Reserve Medical Officer.
For more than 15 years since, she has been a family physician with the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Army, and the Department of Defense. She has cared for active-duty service members, retirees, and their families, and taught medical residents and students. She earned her board certification in Obesity Medicine to give patients struggling with weight the expert, compassionate, and evidence-based care they deserve.
Dr. Luther has called Fairfax home since 2008. She is accepting new patients at Prima Medicine’s Merrifield and Fairfax offices.
A Navy Veteran Who Understands Service
Few primary care physicians have landed on an aircraft carrier. Dr. Luther has. As a Naval Flight Surgeon with Carrier Air Wing Eight, she was responsible for the health and flight readiness of thousands of aviators and air wing personnel. She then spent more than 15 years caring for military families through the Navy, the Army, and the Department of Defense.
That experience gives her an unusual understanding of:
- Veterans and retirees, including the long-term health effects of military service
- Active-duty families, with deployments, relocations, and the stress of military life
- Readiness and prevention: staying healthy enough to perform, not just treating illness
- Team-based care, built on clear communication and accountability
Northern Virginia has one of the largest military and veteran communities in the country. Veterans, military retirees, and their families are especially welcome in Dr. Luther’s practice.
Obesity Medicine: Expert, Compassionate Weight Care
Dr. Luther is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. That certification recognizes specialized training in treating obesity as the chronic medical condition it is, and relatively few primary care physicians hold it.
Her approach to weight is medical, personal, and judgment-free:
- A full evaluation of the hormonal, metabolic, sleep, medication, and lifestyle factors that drive weight gain
- Body composition and metabolic testing to measure progress beyond the scale
- Nutrition and lifestyle coaching built around real life, not crash diets
- Anti-obesity medications when appropriate ⚠️, including GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, and other options such as phentermine-topiramate
- Ongoing weight loss monitoring with regular follow-up, so progress lasts
- Treatment of weight-related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea
Learn more about Prima Medicine’s medical weight loss program.
Complete Family Medicine for Adults
Dr. Luther provides full-scope primary care for adults ⚠️:
- Annual physical exams and preventive screenings
- Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol management
- Medicare Annual Wellness Visits
- Chronic care management for patients with multiple conditions
- Evaluation and treatment of new symptoms and acute illness
- Vaccinations and preventive counseling
A Teacher and Patient Advocate
Throughout her career, Dr. Luther has taught. As Academic Chief Resident, she led her residency’s evidence-based medicine curriculum, and she later served as a teaching consultant for medical residents and students. She has also served on a Patient and Family Centered Care committee, helping make care more responsive to what patients and families need.
Her patients say they especially value her knowledge. She takes the time to explain, and she puts each patient’s best interest first.
A Trusted Family Physician for Merrifield, Fairfax, and Northern Virginia
Dr. Sylvia Luther, MD brings Navy service, two board certifications, Stanford and GW training, and decades of experience to Prima Medicine. She is a strong fit for:
- Veterans, military retirees, and military families
- Adults seeking expert, judgment-free medical weight management
- Patients managing diabetes, blood pressure, or cholesterol
- Anyone who wants a knowledgeable, experienced family physician who explains things clearly
Dr. Luther is seeing patients at the Merrifield and Fairfax offices. Call (703) 870-3750 or book online.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dr. Sylvia Luther, MD
Seeing Dr. Luther in Merrifield, VA
Seeing Dr. Luther in Fairfax, VA
Family Doctor in Fair Oaks, VA
Serving Mantua, VA
Can Mantua residents see Dr. Luther?
Yes. Mantua sits between Dr. Luther’s two offices. Merrifield is a short drive east via Route 50 or Prosperity Avenue, and Fairfax is a short drive west.
What can Mantua patients see Dr. Luther for?
Annual physicals, chronic disease management, medical weight management, and Medicare wellness visits.
Serving Burke, VA
Can Burke residents see Dr. Luther?
Yes. Burke residents can reach Prima Medicine’s Fairfax office via Burke Lake Road, Route 123, or the Fairfax County Parkway.
Why do Burke patients choose Dr. Luther?
Burke patients get a Navy veteran physician who is board-certified in both Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine, with decades of experience caring for military and civilian families.
Serving Oakton, VA
Can Oakton residents see Dr. Luther?
Yes. Oakton is a short drive from both of Dr. Luther’s offices, via Route 123 to Fairfax or Chain Bridge Road and Route 29 to Merrifield.
What can Oakton patients see Dr. Luther for?
Primary care, preventive screenings, diabetes and blood pressure management, and medical weight loss.
Serving Chantilly, VA
Can Chantilly residents see Dr. Luther?
Yes. Chantilly is a short drive east on Route 50 or I-66 to Prima Medicine’s Fairfax office.
What can Chantilly patients see Dr. Luther for?
Adult primary care, medical weight management from a board-certified Obesity Medicine physician, and chronic disease care.
Serving Oak Hill, VA
Can Oak Hill residents see Dr. Luther?
Yes. From Oak Hill and the Franklin Farm area, Prima Medicine’s Fairfax office is minutes away via West Ox Road or the Fairfax County Parkway.
What can Oak Hill patients see Dr. Luther for?
Physicals, preventive care, weight management, and long-term care for chronic conditions.
Serving Herndon, VA
Can Herndon residents see Dr. Luther?
Yes. Herndon residents can reach Prima Medicine’s Fairfax office via the Fairfax County Parkway.
Why do Herndon patients choose Dr. Luther?
Herndon patients get a double board-certified family physician with Navy flight surgeon experience and specialized training in medical weight loss.
Serving Vienna, VA
Can Vienna residents see Dr. Luther?
Yes. The Merrifield office is just minutes from Vienna via Gallows Road or Route 29. The Fairfax office is also an easy drive via I-66.
What can Vienna patients see Dr. Luther for?
Adult primary care, medical weight management, diabetes and blood pressure care, and Medicare wellness visits.
Adult primary care, medical weight management, diabetes and blood pressure care, and Medicare wellness visits.
Serving Centreville, VA
Can Centreville residents see Dr. Luther?
Yes. Centreville is a short drive east on Route 29 or I-66 to Prima Medicine’s Fairfax office.
How do Centreville patients get started?
Call (703) 870-3750 or book online, and our team will schedule your first visit with Dr. Luther at the Fairfax office.
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Fairfax, VA
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