Leah F Brasch, MD

Growing up in Denver, I always knew I wanted to be a doctor. I attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs and the University of Colorado Medical School. I first moved to the Washington, D.C., area for a pediatric residency at Children's National Hospital, where I eventually rose to chief resident. A detour took my husband and me to South Korea in the mid-1980s, where I worked as a civilian pediatrician for the U.S. Army. Working on a multi-disciplinary developmental team and volunteering at a Korean adoption agency were formative, educational and rewarding experiences. After a couple of years, I returned as an attending physician in General Pediatrics at Children's National, teaching in the outpatient clinic. In 1988, my friend Linda Goldstein and I decided to start our private practice in Chevy Chase and we have been together ever since. It's been rewarding to watch the practice grow and develop over the years, just like the kids in the practice!

After being a pediatrician for years, I continue to find it gratifying. Pediatrics fulfills my passion for both children and science. I love the variety of general practice and helping families with everything from routine questions to serious problems, from newborns to young adults. From my days in Korea, I have a particular interest in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as well as foreign adoptions. With additional training and years of experience helping new mothers, I have developed some expertise with lactation problems as well.

I am a clinical associate professor at George Washington Medical School, so you might see me training medical students or residents in the office. I've been a Board Certified Pediatrician since 1985, and voluntarily took and passed the Maintenance of Certification exam in 2010. I'm a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and active in the Montgomery-PG County Pediatric Society. Last but not least, I've gained lots of personal and practical experience raising my two great young adult sons.

• General and Community Pediatrics