Image

Transitional Year Residency

divider graphic

We are excited that you are looking at our MAHEC Transitional Year Residency Program as a potential site for your future training. Our program is built around more than 50 years of Graduate Medical Education training in a variety of residency programs.

The MAHEC TY program matched its first class of residents in 2021. Our TY program benefits from collaborative work with colleagues in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Anesthesia, Radiology, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics and Ob/Gyn.

Our schedules and curricula are designed to provide you with the training that you need and ensure that you have time to focus on your well-being and your personal interests. You are a valued colleague—we will grow together as we learn how to balance professional commitment and personal growth. Upon completion of our program, you will have a strong foundation for your future specialty and have built strong relationships with your colleagues.

TY Residents at MAHEC benefit from a state-of-the-art Simulation Center where they can practice a variety of procedures and clinical scenarios. MAHEC is committed to responding to the needs of our community with the aim of providing improved care to all in WNC and reducing health disparities. To further this mission, MAHEC became a Federally Qualified Health Center in 2023 and has a 340B pharmacy program. MAHEC is also home to a branch of the UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine campus for students in their Application Phase of training. While rotating on inpatient services, you will routinely work with these students and be their teacher.

It is an honor that you are considering training with us and we are excited to meet you. Asheville is a beautiful place to live. Come and explore the education we offer at MAHEC, the values we share, and how we can help you develop in your Transitional Year Residency.

Our Team

Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM
Family Medicine
Director, Transitional Year Residency Program


Melissa Hicks, MD Melissa Hicks, MD
Family Medicine
Transitional Year Residency Program Assistant Director


Tealok Ray Tealok Ray
Transitional Year Residency Program Administrator
email ty@mahec.net

Our Commitment

MAHEC is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive place to work, learn, and receive care. We actively recruit physicians, staff, and students from underrepresented minorities, and we strive to implement policies and procedures that value and support diverse backgrounds and experiences. MAHEC does not discriminate on the basis of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, spiritual practice, geography, disability, or age.

Mission Statement

To provide foundational training in broad based patient care for physicians seeking ongoing specialty training. Providing such in a supportive, personal setting that encourages life-long learning, acknowledges individual contributions, fosters a collegial environment, and supports trainee well-being.

Values Statement

  • Excellence: We deliver quality activities and services that our customers and partners value.
  • Diversity: We promote equity and inclusivity.
  • Integrity: We act with fairness, transparency, and the highest level of ethics.
  • Collaboration: We value partnerships and support interprofessional approaches.
  • Improvement: We continuously innovate and improve our work.

Foundational Principles

  • Civility: We treat all people with respect and kindness, all the time.
  • Inclusivity: We value the contribution of people different than ourselves and the merits of an organization that reflects differences in our teams and our community.
  • Empowerment: We value engagement, commitment, and ownership of MAHEC’s mission, work, and budget.

Faculty and Alumni Comments

What specialties have our residents matched into?

Anesthesiology Dermatology Emergency Medicine Internal Medicine Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Psychiatry Radiation Oncology Radiology (IR/DR) Surgery

What medical schools have our residents graduated from?

North Carolina

  • Wake Forest
  • University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
  • Duke
  • Campbell University

South Carolina

  • University of South Carolina - Columbia
  • University of South Carolina - Greenville
  • Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolinas Campus

Tennessee

  • University of Tennessee

Virginia

  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • University of Virginia

West Virginia

  • Marshall University Joan C Edwards School of Medicine
  • Durke University

Georgia

  • Emory

Missouri

  • University of Missouri

Ohio

  • Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Pennsylvania

  • Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Washington, D.C.

  • George Washington University

Kentucky

  • University of Kentucky

Louisiana

  • Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans

Florida

  • University of Central Florida College of Medicine
  • Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolinas & Auburn Campus

Alabama

  • Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn Campus

What programs do our residents go to after their year at MAHEC?

North Carolina

  • Wake Forest
  • UNC Chapel Hill

South Carolina

  • Medical University of South Carolina - Charleston

Tennessee

  • University of Tennessee

Virginia

  • VCU Richmond
  • University of Virginia

West Virginia

  • West Virginia University

Georgia

  • Emory
  • Hamilton Medical Center Program

Missouri

  • University of Missouri – Columbia

Ohio

  • University of Cincinnati
  • Ohio State University Hospital
  • University of Toledo

Pennsylvania

  • Geisinger Health System

New York

  • University of Rochester
  • Rochester General Hospital
  • Mt. Sinai Hospital

California

  • Stanford
  • UCLA
  • UC San Diego

Illinois

  • Marianjoy Rehabilitation hospital (Northwestern)
  • Rush er

Michigan

  • Garden City Hospital

Nevada

  • Sunrise Nevada

Kansas

  • Kansas State University

Curriculum

Our program provides comprehensive clinical training in both inpatient and outpatient medicine.

Inpatient Rotations* Weeks
Gynecology/Oncology 4 weeks
Pediatric Inpatient 4 weeks
Surgery 4 weeks
ICU 4 weeks
Internal Medicine Wards 4-8 weeks
Cardiology Inpatient Consults 0-4 weeks
Total 24 weeks

*Residents either do (2) Internal Medicine Wards rotations or (1) Internal Medicine Wards rotation and (1) Cardiology Inpatient Consults rotation

Outpatient Rotations Weeks
Family Health Center 8 weeks
Emergency Medicine 4 weeks
Back Up & Quality Improvement 4 weeks
Electives 12 weeks
Total 28 weeks

Scheduling

Most rotations are done in two-week blocks. Thus, residents generally spend two weeks on an inpatient rotation followed by two weeks on an outpatient rotation. This improves resident experience and allows for more productive learning and a better balance between the demands of inpatient and outpatient rotations. Surgery, Gyn/Onc, and Pediatrics are done in four-week blocks continuously due to the structure of those learning experiences.

Electives

  • Addiction Medicine
  • Anesthesia
  • Dermatology
  • Geriatrics
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Lifestyle Medicine
  • Medical Spanish
  • Neurology
  • Pathology
  • Psychiatry
  • Research
  • Sports Medicine

Special electives by request.

Didactics and Journal Club

Residents participate in didactic sessions with the department with which they are rotating (i.e. while on Family Health Center clinic, they attend Family Medicine didactics; while on IM wards, they attend IM didactics, etc.). TY Residents also participate in monthly journal club with their class and faculty advisors.

Faculty

Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM Family Medicine
Director, Transitional Year Residency Program
Melissa Hicks, MD Melissa Hicks, MD Family Medicine
Transitional Year Residency Program Assistant Director
Peiweng “PW” Chen, MD Peiweng “PW” Chen, MD Radiology
Transitional Year Core Faculty
William Corcoran, MD William Corcoran, MD Anesthesiology
Transitional Year Core Faculty
Lucia Derks, MD Lucia Derks, MD Emergency Medicine
Transitional Year Core Faculty
Benjamin Hulkower, MD Benjamin Hulkower, MD Internal Medicine
Transitional Year Core Faculty
Kristin James, DO Kristin James, DO Emergency Medicine
Transitional Year Core Faculty
Boone Marois, MD Boone Marois, MD Family Medicine
Transitional Year Core Faculty
David Moore, MD David Moore, MD Radiology
Transitional Year Core Faculty

Residents PGY1

Caroline Brailsford, MD Caroline Brailsford, MD Resident
Gene “Chatman” Clark, MD Gene “Chatman” Clark, MD Resident
Casey Engel, MD Casey Engel, MD Chief Resident
Matthew Gallardo, MD Matthew Gallardo, MD Resident
Danielle Hanuschak, MD Danielle Hanuschak, MD Resident
Saad Jafri, MD Saad Jafri, MD Resident
Stephen Kirchner, MD, PhD Stephen Kirchner, MD, PhD Resident
Carla Lautenschlager, MD Carla Lautenschlager, MD Resident
Teebro Rahman, MD Teebro Rahman, MD Chief Resident
Nicholas “Nick” Roberts, MD Nicholas “Nick” Roberts, MD Resident
Shane Stephenson, MD Shane Stephenson, MD Resident
Mara Trifoi, MD Mara Trifoi, MD Chief Resident
Kathryn “Katie” Weidner, MD Kathryn “Katie” Weidner, MD Resident

MAHEC Biltmore Campus

Image

MAHEC (Mountain Area Health Education Center) was established in 1974 and serves a 16-county region in Western North Carolina. MAHEC is the largest Area Health Education Center in North Carolina and evolved to address national and state concerns with the supply, retention, and quality of healthcare professionals. MAHEC’s approach to caring for patients is based on an advanced care team model.

Mission Hospital

Image

Mission Hospital is licensed for 815 beds. The emergency department has 100,000 patient visits per year, the level II trauma center admits 3,400 patients per year, and the helicopter transports more than 1,000 patients per year. Mission Children’s Hospital includes 130 beds with 60 board certified pediatric subspecialists providing care in 23 different specialties.

Mission Hospital surgery services includes eight critical care certified acute care surgeons, 11 subspecialty surgeons, two pediatric surgeons, and five vascular surgeons that provide the entire spectrum of patient care and surgical procedures. At more than 35,000 surgical procedures each year, Mission Hospital is the busiest surgical hospital in North Carolina.

Campus and Facility Tours

Tour of the Simulation Center

Tour of Mission Hospital

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

Dear Residency Applicants,

We are thrilled that you are considering our Transitional Year Residency program! While Asheville continues to recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we want to reassure you that our recruitment season is moving forward, and we are excited to meet each of you.

Our commitment to serving the community is at the heart of everything we do, and this dedication is central to our residency program. Right now, our priority is the health and well-being of our community, our patients, and our residents. We fully anticipate being operational and stronger than ever by the start of the next academic year.

As part of our WNC Strong spirit, our residents and faculty remain deeply rooted in the region, exemplifying resilience and dedication in their training and care for patients. The challenges we face have only reinforced our resolve to grow and support each other.

We are eager to share how our sense of community, service, and the opportunities at MAHEC make it a truly exceptional place to learn, train, and thrive. We look forward to connecting with you soon.

Sincerely,

Ginger Poulton, MD, MSEd, DipABLM
Program Director, Transitional Year Residency, MAHEC

Application Requirements

We invite you to apply to our program via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We will review your application and contact you if we wish to invite you for an interview. Typically, our interview season runs from mid-October through mid-December.

A complete ERAS application is required, including:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Personal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation from faculty who have directly supervised clinical performance
  • Medical school transcript(s)
  • Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
  • USMLE, COMLEX, or Canadian licensing exam scores (Step 1 required, Step 2 preferred)
Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Residency Program Administrator at ty@mahec.net.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

The Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs will select from among eligible applicants on the basis of residency program-related criteria such as their preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity.

Minimum Requirements

An applicant must meet or exceed the following minimum qualification(s) to be eligible for selection and appointment to MAHEC’s GME residency programs:

  • Be a graduate of a medical school in the United States or Canada, accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME); or
  • Be a graduate of a college of osteopathic medicine in the United States, accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA); or
  • Be a graduate of a non-LCME- or AOA-approved medical school who also meets one of the following additional qualifications:
    • holds a currently-valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) prior to appointment; or
    • holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a United States licensing jurisdiction in his or her current ACGME specialty/subspecialty program; or
    • has graduated from a medical school outside the United States and has completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by a LCME-accredited medical school.
  • Passed USMLE Steps 1 and 2 or COMLEX 1 and 2 within three attempts, as required by the North Carolina Medical Board.
  • Be eligible for a NC resident training license.
  • Be eligible to work in the U.S. (citizen, permanent resident, eligible visa including J1). MAHEC does not sponsor H1B or other visas.

VISA Sponsorship

MAHEC does not directly sponsor residents or fellows that need a J-1 Sponsorship VISA. Non-U.S. citizen applicants needing visa sponsorship must secure this directory from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). The ECFMG is authorized by the U.S. Department of State to sponsor foreign national physicians for the J-1 Exchange Visitor visa for the purpose of participating in U.S. programs of graduate medical education or training. ECFMG is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a BridgeUSA sponsor for J-1 exchange visitor physicians enrolled in accredited programs of graduate medical education or training, or advanced research programs (involving primarily observation, consultation, teaching, or research). Although many universities and research institutions in the United States are authorized to sponsor exchange visitors as research scholars, ECFMG is the sole sponsor of J-1 physicians in clinical training programs.

Questions regarding VISA Sponsorship should be directed to the GME office at 828-232-2946 or gme@mahec.net.

Resident Physician Contract/Letter of Agreement
divider graphic
arrow-up icon