Ob/Gyn People

Undergraduate Education: Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California

Medical School: University of Texas School of Medicine, San Antonio, TX

Family Life: All of my family is in Texas! I have 3 older sisters who I am very close to.

Personal Interests:

I love traveling! Moving to Asheville is just another stop on my list. I also enjoy arts/crafts and going to museums. Spending time with family and friends is a priority. Staying active and making delicious food are at the top of my list, too!

Favorite things about MAHEC Residency Program: The people! Everyone works their tails off to help each other out. I look up to and have so much respect for my fellow residents. The attendings are super approachable and always available. The nurses are wonderful too. I feel SO lucky to be at a rigorous program that's not dog-eat-dog. MAHEC is one of a kind!

Undergraduate Education: University of Missouri-Columbia

Medical School: University of Missouri-Columbia

Personal Interests: Hiking, swimming holes, farmers market, taking my dog to the dog park, hanging out with the Husband, having barbeques, skiing, eating at the amazing restaurants and breweries in Asheville, visiting family and friends, gardening, craft time with fellow interns, shopping, baking

Favorite Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: The great people I get to work with and hang out with everyday!

Undergraduate Education - West Texas A&M University

Medical School - Texas Tech University School of Medicine

Family Life - I am married to the most wonderful woman and we have 3 beautiful daughters

Personal Interests - Fishing, Golfing, Hunting, Hiking and most importantly spending time with my girls

Favorite things about MAHEC Residency Program - I feel that teaching is the priority of the residents and the attendings in this program. The program strives to create a cohesive structure among all the residents that has a tremendous positive impact on such a demanding time in your career. Also the residency family is made up of the physicians and their families.

Undergraduate Education: Bachelors of Science in Environmental and Soil Science University of Tennessee at Knoxville and University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Medical School: East Tennessee State University's Quillen College of Medicine

Personal Interests: Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Snow Skiing, Pretty much anything outside...

Favorite Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: Everyone takes team-work very seriously here. We really do work as a team! I couldn't imagine working with a better group of residents and attendings, who all truly care about you as a person and about giving you the best education available in ObGyn residency.

Undergraduate Education: Emory Univ

Medical School: Medical College of GA

Personal Interests: I like working in my yard and hiking with my dogs. I also like books and architecture. And running.

Favorite Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: My fellow residents! I've never been a part of a more deicated, friendly team. If you want to learn ob/gyn in a rigorous but supportive environment, MAHEC is it.

Undergrad: Warren Wilson College

Medical School: East Tennessee State University

Personal interests: Backpacking, gardening, beekeeping, traveling, beer brewing, good music

Favorite things about MAHEC: I LOVE Asheville, and I love our program. Our faculty are our mentors, as well as our friends. They inspire confidence and challenge the person, as well as the superb physician we all aspire to become. As residents we love working together, and we happily work for one another when necessary. I cannot imagine a better place to live or a more supportive environment in which to train.

Undergraduate Education: Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA

Medical School: Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA

Personal Interests: Spending time with my family, anything outdoors, roasting coffee, and spending time with fun people.

Favorite Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: The program really is a family. Brilliant attendings that love to teach and residents that enjoy working beside one another. It truly is THE best environment to learn.

Undergraduate Education: Duke University

Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

Family Life: My immediate family lives in the Triangle area of NC, so it is good to be closer to home again.

Personal Interests: Food, taking pictures, travel, foreign languages.

Favorite Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: The people!

Undergraduate Education: Trinity Western University, Langley B.C. and Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA

Family Life: I am married to my high school sweetheart Andrew and we have an amazing little girl named Adie.

Research Interests: Pregnancy and Sexual Health Education

Personal Interests: Anything while spending time with my family, painting, knitting and everything crafty.

Favorite Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: The people! The resident and attending physicians are the best.

Undergraduate Education: UNC Wilmington

Medical School: UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Family Life: I moved to Asheville by myself. My remaining family is here in NC as well as out West in Seattle where I grew up.

Research Interests: Robotic Assisted Surgery

Personal Interests: Swimming, Hiking, Skiing, Traveling, Cooking

Favorite Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: Asheville, MAHEC and Mission Hospital is a great place to learn from many dedicated faculty, staff, and residents.

Undergraduate Education:
University of Georgia

Medical School: UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Family Life: I am married to my husband of three years, Jay. We have a red Doberman, Hugo.

Research interests: I am interested in genetic counseling, the role of genetics in common illnesses, pregnancy prevention, and preventative healthcare.

Personal Interests: Trail running, the outdoors, college sports (especially Georgia football!), being with my husband and family.

Favorite thing about MAHEC Residency Program: Western North Carolina is my home, and I am so glad to be back! This is a great place to live for many reasons: the outdoors, the weather, the small town 'feel' with all conveniences. Asheville is a unique city with something for everyone.

Undergraduate Education: UNC Chapel Hill
Medical School: Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University

Family Life: My boyfriend of 5 years, Josh, and I live in West Asheville with our puppy, Banjo. it is such an up-and-coming area with lots of young people, great restaurants, and the French Broad River is only a 5 minute walk from our house.

Research Interests: Substance abuse in pregnancy

Personal Interests: Running, running, running! I also love going to hear live music – and Asheville is THE place to be for a great music scene. Other things – going out to great restaurants (another Asheville perk!). Playing with our puppy, and – when I get the chance – waterskiing.

Favoring Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: I immediately felt like I was part of a family when I arrived in Asheville. Everyone has been unbelievably helpful and encouraging. We have a strong work ethic and help each other out if someone is behind in clinic or needs help finishing up with rounds in the morning on time so we can all get breakfast together. The attending are very approachable and you can tell they love teaching us. I am so happy to be in this program.

Undergraduate Education: UNC-Chapel Hill

Medical School: UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Family Life: Married to a wonderful husband who tries desperately to get me to watch anything sports-related. No pets now, but I'm working on it!

Research Interests: Pediatric gyn, psychosocial issues around pregnancy, and urogynecology

Personal Interests: Dancing, watching movies, reading

Favorite Thing about the MAHEC Residency Program: I really enjoy the cooperative environment, and how eating is always a priority! I love the GREAT restaurants here, and how there are tons of things to do on your free weekends.

• University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 1995
• OB/GYN Residency, MAHEC Division of Ob/Gyn, Asheville, NC
• Board Certified

His areas of special interest include quality improvement in obstetrics and gynecology, labor, cesarean birth, healthcare policy, finance, administration, and graduate medical education.

Dr. Letson also currently serves as the Women’s Service Line Leader (hospital department chair) at Mission Hospital.

• Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
• OB/GYN Residency, MAHEC Division of OB/GYN, Asheville, NC
• Board Certified

Dr. Beth Buys is a general Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the MAHEC Women's Health Center. Her areas of special interest include contraceptive options (including Implanon), minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (including Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy), and general obstetrics. Dr. Buys also has a special interest in resident education and is the Program Director for the MAHEC OB/GYN Residency Program.

• University of Maryland School of Medicine, Boston MA, 1992
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship - University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, 1994
• Faculty at Penn State University, 1997 - 2000
• Board Certified

Dr. Carol Coulson is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist. She specializes in providing care for women who are "at risk" and considering pregnancy or those who are already pregnant and "high-risk" or complicated for a variety of reasons. Dr. Coulson sees patients who are undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures such as comprehensive ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling, and genetic amniocentesis. She also consults on patients with medical and surgical disorders coincident with or prior to pregnancy including heart disease, chronic hypertension, diabetes and other endocrinologic disorders, kidney and gastrointestinal diseases, and infectious diseases. Otherwise healthy women who may require these services are those whose pregnancies are at markedly increased risk for adverse outcomes such as those with abnormal serum screens, multiple gestations, recurrent preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, or growth abnormalities of the fetus.

• Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 1997
• OB/GYN Residency, St. John’s Mercy Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, 2001
• Board Certified

Dr. Currens provides general gynecologic and obstetrical care for women of all ages and some high-risk pregnancy care. She has special interest in pediatric and adolescent gynecology, medical student education and office procedures including hysteroscopy, colposcopy, and LEEP.

Dr. Currens also serves as the Medical Student Clerkship Director.

• Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL, 1997
• OB/GYN Residency, University of Minnesota, 2002
• Fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 2006
• Board Certified

Dr. Ursula Harkness is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist. She specializes in providing care for women who are 'at risk' and considering pregnancy or those who are already pregnant and 'high-risk' or complicated for a variety of reasons. Dr. Harkness sees patients who are undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures such as comprehensive ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling, and genetic amniocentesis. She also consults on patients with medical and surgical disorders coincident with or prior to pregnancy including heart disease, chronic hypertension, diabetes and other endocrinologic disorders, kidney and gastrointestinal diseases, and infectious diseases. Otherwise healthy women who may require these services are those whose pregnancies are at markedly increased risk for adverse outcomes such as those with abnormal serum screens, multiple gestations, recurrent preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, or growth abnormalities of the fetus.

Dr. Lechner practices general obstetrics and gynecology at MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists. His areas of special interest include minimally invasive surgery (including laparoscopic and robotic approaches), infertility, routine and high-risk obstetrics, as well as resident education.

• Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, 1993
• OB/Gyn Residency, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, 1993-1997
• Board Certified

• East Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 1996
• OB/GYN Residency, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, 2000
• Board Certified

Dr. Kiran Sigmon is a general Obstetrician and Gynecologist with a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of vulvar skin disease and sexual pain. She started the MAHEC Vulvar Clinic in 2006 to assist other providers in the WNC region with difficult cases including recurrent vaginitis, lichen sclerosis, lichen planus, lichen simplex chronicus and vulvodynia, to name a few. She works with other local providers to provide patients with opportunities to explore treatments including physical therapy, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling. She also helps patients address the psychosocial components of living with chronic pain by working closely with local mental health professionals. Dr. Sigmon feels strongly about educating patients, other providers and the community about issues related to genital health and sexuality, and many local physicians rotate seeing patients with her in the Vulvar Clinic.

• Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 1971
• OB/GYN Residency, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY, 1975
• Board Certified

Dr. VanDyke serves as the Medical Director of MAHEC’s Women’s Health Center. He provides routine gynecologic and obstetrical care for women of all ages. In addition, he has special interest in several areas of mature woman care including menopausal management, osteoporosis, and urinary incontinence. He also specializes in abnormal uterine bleeding, cervial dysplasia and advanced laparoscopic surgery.

• BSN, UNC-Chapel Hill
• MSN, UNC-Charlotte
• CNM, East Carolina University

Ann Brown is a Nurse-Midwife at MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists. She provides individualized care for women throughout pregnancy and beyond. Ann is trained to be a woman’s primary health care provider and she provides a full range of services.

Alison Christopher is a Nurse-Midwife at MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists. She provides individualized care for women throughout pregnancy and beyond. Alison is trained to be a woman’s primary health care provider and she provides a full range of services.

• BSN, UNC-Greensboro
• MSN, CNM, University of Utah

Beth Korb is a Nurse-Midwife at MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists. She provides individualized care for women throughout pregnancy and beyond. Beth is trained to be a woman’s primary health care provider and she provides a full range of services.

• BSN, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1973
• FPNP, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 1978

• BSN, UNC-Chapel Hill
• CNM, MSN, Vanderbilt University

Amanda Murphy is a Nurse-Midwife at MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists. She provides individualized care for women throughout pregnancy and beyond. Amanda is trained to be a woman’s primary health care provider and she provides a full range of services.

• BA, Wake Forest University
• MSN, Yale Universisty

Dolly Pressley Bryd is a Nurse-Midwife at MAHEC OB/GYN Specialists. She provides individualized care for women throughout pregnancy and beyond. Dolly is trained to be a woman’s primary health care provider and she provides a full range of services.