Our People

I was born in Ontario, Canada, but moved to Northeast Ohio early in life and remained there for most of my education. I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Youngstown State University as a part of a combined B.S./M.D. program through Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), where I went on to obtain my M.D. I also obtained a Bioethics Certificate during my time at NEOMED, and was very involved with a student organization whose mission was to start a student-run, free clinic.

I began my surgical training as a General Surgery Intern at Penn State Health, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and am so excited to be completing my surgical education with MAHEC. My areas of interest include surgical and medical student education, quality improvement, and trauma/critical care.

Outside of work, I love to bake (cupcakes are my favorite!), read, and create nice things for people to wear—I crochet, make jewelry, and sew. I am also excited to be continuing my training in a place with such a great arts community and with so many opportunities for outdoor activities.

Dr. Schurr is a general and critical care surgeon with Mission Hospital and is the Program Director for the General Surgery Residency Program. Dr. Schurr attended medical school at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Wisconsin. He completed a fellowship in trauma and critical care at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. He has held numerous academic positions, at the University of Wisconsin from 1995–2011 and Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado from 2011 – 2014.

Dr. Schurr has been an active clinician and teacher since he completed his fellowship, teaching students, residents, and fellows. He has published over 60 articles and has ongoing clinical trials underway at Mission Hospital.

Courtney Sommer, MD is a general surgeon at Mission Hospital in Asheville. She also serves as the Assistant Program Director for the General Surgery Residency. Dr. Sommer graduated Medical School from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and completed her Residency in General Surgery at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon Residency graduation, Dr. Sommer went onto complete a Fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at the University of Washington. Dr. Sommer’s focus of patient care is in General Surgery and Trauma.

Elaine Chan, MD, FACS, is a general surgeon at Mission Hospital in Asheville. Dr. Chan graduated from SUNY Downstate Medical School in Brooklyn, NY and completed a general surgery residency at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York, NY.  After graduating from residency, Dr. Chan subsequently completed a fellowship in Trauma Surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA as well as a fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at Ryder Trauma Center Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL. After fellowship, Dr. Chan served as Assistant Professor of Surgery at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA.

Scott John, MD is a general surgeon at Mission Hospital in Asheville. Dr. John graduated Medical School from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, LA and completed his Residency in General Surgery at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Upon Residency graduation, Dr. John went onto complete a Fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Dr. John’s focus of patient care is in General Surgery and Trauma.

Dr. Kopelman is a general and critical care surgeon with Mission Hospital. She attended medical school at the University of Miami School of Medicine and remained at the University of Miami to complete her residency in general surgery as well as both her fellowship in Surgical Critical Care and her fellowship in Trauma and Emergency General Surgery. She has held academic appointments at the Medical College of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in addition to being faculty at Greenville Memorial Hospital (1997-2002) and the University of Arizona Medical School while faculty at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona (2003-2018). Dr. Kopelman’s focus on patient care is in Surgical Critical Care, Emergency General Surgery, and Trauma.