Mountain Area Health Education Center Program
About This Program
Program Length
5 Years
First Year Positions
5 Positions
Program Starts Reviewing Applications
Application service release date
Avg Work Hours
60 Hours/Week
Program Setting
Community
Application Service
ERAS
Program Statistics
Types of Graduates
Resident Gender
Contact Information
Program Director
Courtney Sommer, MD, BS, MPH
Mountain Area Health Education Ctr
Primary Program Contact
Amanda Espinel, MD
Mountain Area Health Education Center
Survey Received: 6/15/2026
Program ID: 4403600420
Locations
Mountain Area Health Education Ctr
Surgery Pgm
121 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
Mountain Area Health Education Center
501 Biltmore Ave
Asheville, NC 28801-4686
University of North Carolina Hospitals
101 Manning Dr
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-7600
Haywood Regional Medical Center
262 Leroy George Dr
Clyde, NC 28721
Charles George VA Medical Center (Asheville)
1100 Tunnel Rd
Asheville, NC 28805
Application Information
Applicant Interview Format
Virtual
Interviews Conducted Last Year
64 Interviews
Interviews/First Year Positions
12.9:1
Participates In
NRMP Main Match
--
Doesn't Participate In
- San Francisco Match
- Military Match (i.e., Joint Service Graduate Medical Education Selection Board, Military Selection Board)
- SAU/AU Match (i.e., Urology Match)
- None
Open House
U.S. MD Applicants
Must Have Passed USMLE Step 1
Yes
Must Have Passed USMLE Step 2 CK
Yes
IMG Applicants
Must Have Passed USMLE Step 1
Yes
Must Have Passed USMLE Step 2 CK
Yes
DO Applicants
Must Have Passed COMLEX Level 1
Yes
Must Have Passed COMLEX Level 2
Yes
Requires the USMLE Step 1 and/or Step 2 CK
Yes
Must Have USMLE Passed Step 1
Yes
Must Have USMLE Passed Step 2 CK
No
Specialty-specific standardized letter requirements
No
Total required letters of recommendation (excludes MSPE and Deans letter)
Minimum
--
Maximum
3 Letters
Required Letter Writers
- Letter(s) from someone within the specialty (e.g., faculty, attending)
Requires Previous GME
No
Required Supplemental Information
No
Osteopathic Recognition
No
Medical School Graduation Timeline
No cap on the number of years.
Gap Experience Requirement
Data not provided by program
Resident / Fellow Characteristics
Three year averages. Medical school type does not include graduates of Canadian schools.
Types of Graduates
Resident Gender
Program Faculty
Faculty/Resident Ratio
0:1
Program Faculty
--
Female Faculty
--
Faculty Distribution
Work Environment
Program Start Dates
July 1
Avg Hours/Week on Duty (During First Year)
60 Hours
Maximum Consecutive Hours on Duty (During First Year)
24 Hours
Avg Number of 24 Hour Off Duty Periods Per Week (During First Year)
1.00
Program Allows Moonlighting (Beyond PGY-1)
No
Night Float System
Yes
Most Taxing Schedule & Frequency Per Year
Beeper or Home Call (Weeks / Year)
Year 1 - Every eleventh night or more for 5 week(s)
10
Year 2 - Every eleventh night or more for 5 week(s)
10
Year 3 - Once per week for 10 week(s)
10
Year 4 - N/A
10
Year 5 - N/A
10
NA = Not Applicable
NGO = Negotiable
OTH = Other
Visa Status
This program will consider an appropriately qualified applicant with the following visa or visa status. Contact the program for additional information.
J-1 visa sponsorship through ECFMG
Yes
H-1B visa
No
F-1 visa (OPT 1st year)
No
Program Size
25
Current Residents
PGY-1 Position Type(s) Offered:
Categorical positions
PGY-2 Positions Not Offered
Key Dates & Timelines
2026 - 2027
Program Starts Reviewing Applications
Application service release date
Interview Offer Dates
Specialty Universal Dates
Average PGY-1 Educational Environment
Structured Didactic Activities
4 Hours
Hospital Outpatient
N/A
Non-Hospital Ambulatory Care
N/A
Employment Policies & Benefits
Free parking
On-call meal allowance
Placement assistance upon completion of program into practice, fellowship or academia
Educational Benefits
Formal program to foster interprofessional teamwork
Yes
Debt management/financial counseling
Yes
Off-campus electives
Yes
Research rotation
Not available
Integrative medicine curriculum
No
Curriculum to develop health systems leadership skills (e.g., QI project leadership, community/organizational advocacy)
No
Instruction in medical Spanish or other non-English language
No
Alternative/complementary medicine curriculum
No
Economics of health care systems curriculum
No
Academic support for USMLE Step 3 and/or COMLEX-USA Level 3 preparation
No
International experience/global health
No
Resident/fellow retreats
No
Hospice/home care experience
No
MPH, MBA, PhD or other advanced degree training
No
Tracks & Educational Features
Data not provided by program
Evaluations
Aggregate resident Milestone achievements
Yes
Graduates board certification pass rates
No
Performance-based assessment scores (e.g. OSCE, patient or computer simulations)
No
Patient surveys
Yes
Portfolio system
Yes
Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE)
No
Medical Insurance Coverage
- Major medical for residents
- Major medical for dependents
- Major medical for domestic partners
- Group life insurance
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
--
Salary Compensation
$63K-$78K
Year 1 through Year 7
Year 1
$63,397
Year 2
$65,513
Year 3
$67,781
Year 4
$70,260
Year 5
$74,904
Year 6
$77,540
Year 7
$77,968
Salary paid by a non-profit institution.
Vacation & Sick Days
Residents receive 15 Vacation Days and 10 Sick Days annually to support work-life balance and personal well-being.
Maximum # of paid days
NGO
Maximum # of unpaid days
NGO
For more information, view the program's leave policy on their website.