William “Bill” Gist, MD

It is with deep sadness that we inform you of a horrific tragedy that has impacted our MAHEC community in a significant way. 

Dr. William “Bill” Gist, our program director for the OB/GYN Residency Program and his wife, Dr. Beth-Ann Gist died tragically in a plane crash on Monday, September 5th. 

Dr. Gist was a remarkable man in so many ways.  He exemplified commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our workforce and our community as a whole in a way that will be remembered and appreciated.  He was responsible for increasing residency size from four residents per year to five residents per year.  He had dedication to reducing health equity especially for women of color and also rural patient populations in Western North Carolina.  He served on the Board of Directors for the Western Carolina Medical Society, was Co-Chair of the Black Provider Affinity Group of the Medical Society, was Founder and Chair of the General Medical Education (GME) DEI Committee, was a member of the MAHEC DEI Committee, facilitated and helped develop DEI curriculum that was taught to MAHEC Residents, Providers, Faculty, and Staff, served as preceptor Minority Medical Mentoring Program interns, was advisor to the Asheville African American health Webinar Series and Symposium, and served as lead physician in Implicit Bias Simulation education and clinical research trials.

MAHEC is committed to what Dr. Gist wholeheartedly believed in, and that is creating an equitable and inclusive place to work, learn, and receive care.  Dr. Gist was not only a leader in DEI initiatives, he was an inspiration to many in our organization.  He did the hard and meaningful work, often without the full breath of recognition he deserved.  He lifted and amplified the voices of those around him, particularly his residents.  He showed up.  He listened attentively.  He acted upon the belief that each person is cherished, and we want to honor that individually and collectively.

It is impossible to put into words just how impactful Dr. Gist’s efforts have been, and his work will continue to inspire us to make our work place, our health care systems, and our world a more just and equitable place.  In his honor, we will be creating the Gist Leadership Award that will be awarded to one individual in our organization at each Asheville African American Health Symposium.  If you know of someone who exemplifies the extraordinary qualities Dr. Gist maintained in his work towards health equity and workforce diversity, please submit a letter of recommendation to Frank.Castelblanco@mahec.net.  The award will be presented during the Simulation Experience portion of our Symposium on November 11th. 

We appreciate your condolences and prayers during this difficult time.