MAHEC expands general surgery residency

Press release:

Rural Western North Carolina communities should see an increase in the number of general surgeons over the next several years with the brand new, state-funded General Surgery Residency at MAHEC, beginning July 1, 2017.

“This new residency is going to make a lasting impact on Western North Carolina,” says Dr. Michael Schurr, MAHEC General Surgery Residency Program Director. “MAHEC already has a great reputation in the area for their residency programs, and it shows as all eight residency positions for the surgery program were matched in the first year. We can’t wait to start training our eager and bright students out in rural WNC so they can begin to make a difference in these underserved areas.”

With an estimated shortage of at least 20 general surgeons in WNC and the expectation that at least 50% of residents will stay within a 100 mile radius to practice, local communities will see a benefit for years to come.

“They have a great vision for what the program is going to be,” says Brian Charnock, MD, second-year general surgery resident at MAHEC. “I’m happy to be able to help them create something that will last a long time, have a good reputation in the community, train good surgeons to provide good care, and leave a legacy with what we’ve built.”

MAHEC’s partnership with hospitals and rural practices throughout the region will give residents a wide variety of training and mentorship from top-notch surgeons. It will also place them working directly with a rural population where this type of care is needed.

“In rural areas, people really look out for each other and help each other, and I think that’s a healthy community,” says Sarah Manning, MD, first-year general surgery resident at MAHEC. “Rural communities also have major issues, such as lack of access and resources. I’d like to bolster the good part and try to address some of the pitfalls. I’m really driven by community health. Something that gets me out of bed in the morning is trying to give back to the community that I’m a part of, and the community I’m most comfortable with is rural America.”

For more information about the new General Surgery Residency at MAHEC, please visit mahec.net/surgery.

MAHEC was established in 1974 and is a leader in healthcare, education and innovation. Located in Asheville, MAHEC serves a 16-county region in Western North Carolina. It is the largest Area Health Education Center in North Carolina, which evolved to address national and state concerns with the supply, retention and quality of health professionals. MAHEC’s mission is to train the next generation of healthcare professionals for Western North Carolina through quality healthcare, innovative education, and best practice models that can be replicated nationally. For more information on MAHEC, visit mahec.