Name: Beth A. Pletcher, MD

Title: Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Background:

Dr. Pletcher graduated in 1978 from Stanford University with a BS in Biology and went on to graduate from medical school in 1982 from Rush Medical College in Chicago. She completed her residency training in pediatrics in 1985 at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and her fellowship training in human genetics in 1987 at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Pletcher is board certified in both Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics.

Dr. Pletcher joined the faculty of UMDNJ- New Jersey Medical School in 1993 following six years in genetic practice in Long Island. She is the Medical Director of the Fragile X Diagnosis and Treatment Center as well as the Medical Director of the Neurofibromatosis Center of New Jersey. Dr. Pletcher also serves as the medical genetic consultant to the Craniofacial Center. She is a member of both the Pediatric and University Hospital Bioethics Committees and previously servied on the Institutional Review Board. She is also a Research Associate at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Dr. Pletcher teaches genetics to the first year medical students at UMDNJ- NJMS as well as first, second and third year and graduate dental students at UMDNJ- NJDS and second year physician assistant students at Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Education.

Professional Interests and Activities: Dr. Pletcher's clinical interests include: management of patients with neurofibromatosis and Fragile X, dysmorphology, prenatal diagnosis of genetic and cytogenetic disorders, as well as cancer genetics. Recent grant funding has included several federally funded projects on genetic education for primary care providers including both general topics as well as cancer genetics. Dr. Pletcher served as the first Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Genetics and Birth Defects and she served as a Liaison to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Genetics for six years. She previously sat on the Board of Directors of the American College of Medical Genetics. Dr. Pletcher's primary practice sites include University Hospital in Newark . She also serves as a consultant to other hospitals in the St. Barnabas Health Care System

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