Family Health

MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
218 Elkwood Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
(828) 257-4747

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Medical School: Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University
Residency Program: MAHEC Family Medicine Asheville
Board Certification: ABFM

Dr. McDowell is an energetic, knowledgeable, dedicated family physician with over ten years of experience practicing in Western North Carolina. She enjoys taking care of people across their lifespans, specifically focusing on chronic disease management and preventative care. She enjoys teaching medical students and residents, and has a special passion for taking care of people with substance use disorders and helping people meet their tobacco cessation goals.

MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
218 Elkwood Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
(828) 257-4747

Irene Ulrich grew up in Cary, NC, and graduated with her PharmD from the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy in 2012 (go Heels!). She completed her residency in ambulatory care at Mission Hospital and MAHEC from 2012-2013. Upon finishing residency, she worked as a clinical pharmacist in a specialized anticoagulation service at Mission Hospital before starting as a clinical pharmacist with MAHEC. She practices primarily at the MAHEC clinic at Newbridge in Woodfin, NC. In addition to providing direct patient care for chronic disease management, she has a particular interest in health equity and transgender care and is pursuing her Master of Public Health degree with the UNC Gillings School of Public Health. She feels fortunate to be a part of a truly interdisciplinary primary care team with the common goal of providing outstanding care to the people of Western NC. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her family—including her husband, Bruce, and daughter, Ila—and enjoys running, traveling, and snuggles with her dogs, Gryffindor and Bowie.

MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
218 Elkwood Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
(828) 257-4747

Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM, is board certified in Family Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. She is a former educator for Teach for America and a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School. Ginger completed her family medicine residency at the Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville and joined MAHEC’s faculty in 2013, and has enjoyed working in a variety of roles at MAHEC since then.

Currently she is the Assistant Program Director for the Transitional Year Residency Program, the lead physician for the Community Health Worker Project at MAHEC and the Family Medicine Clerkship Director for the UNC School of Medicine for the Asheville campus. Additionally, she is the Program Director for the Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum which is offered to all MAHEC residents.

Outside of work Ginger is an active runner, cyclist and sports enthusiast. She loves adventuring outdoors with her husband and sons in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.

MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge
218 Elkwood Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
(828) 257-4747

Welcome to MAHEC Family Medicine! We want to be your medical home. I am very happy to be practicing at MAHEC Family Health Center at Newbridge in Woodfin. I consider myself very lucky because I love my job. I get so much joy out of taking care of patients, from babies to older patients and everyone in between. I am particularly interested in women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health and caring for Latino patients. I also provide transgender care services. It is wonderful to work in and out of the hospital to take comprehensive care of patients.

I grew up in Iowa, where I studied at Grinnell College and the University of Iowa. I completed residency here in Asheville with MAHEC Family Practice. I have been lucky to travel some and see healthcare practices around the world. I am happy to call Western North Carolina home. My husband and I love the fabulous local food and I love going on hilly runs with our sweet dog, Maggie.