Three specialists join staff at Gray's Creek clinic

Dec. 18—LUMBERTON — The addition of three specialists is allowing Southeastern Medical Clinic Gray's Creek to provide specialty care in the areas of cardiology and orthopedics.

Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Hiten Patel and Certified Physician Assistant Caitlin Wood, both affiliated with Southeastern Cardiology and Cardiovascular Clinic, provide cardiology care on Tuesdays. Certified Physician Assistant Rachel Smith, affiliated with Southeastern Orthopedics, provides orthopedic care on Wednesdays.

Patel completed medical school in India at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Government Medical College Surat in 2007. He completed internal medicine training at Weill Cornell Medical College, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, New York in 2013. He served as chief resident in internal medicine at Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences in New Jersey.

Patel completed fellowships in cardiovascular diseases in 2017 and in interventional cardiology in 2018, both at New York Medical College, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in New Jersey, where he also served for two years as chief resident. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in the areas of cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. He is also certified by the National Board of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and is a registered physician in vascular interpretation. He is also a fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Wood, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, completed a master's degree in physician assistant studies at the Medical University of South Carolina in 2010. Before joining UNC Health Southeastern, she served as the lead advanced practice provider in cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Smith, formerly of Buffalo, New York, completed a master's degree in physician assistant studies from Daemen College, in Amherst, New York, in 2015. She has seven years of experience in the fields of orthopedics and internal medicine. She specializes in carpal tunnel syndrome and Xiaflex injections for a hand condition known as Dupuytren's contracture.

Southeastern Medical Clinic Gray's Creek, an affiliate of UNC Health Southeastern, is located at 1249 Chicken Foot Road in Hope Mills. To schedule a cardiology appointment with Patel or Wood call 910-671-6619. To schedule an orthopedic appointment with Smith call 910-738-1065.