Harris Regional Hospital welcomes breast and general surgeon Dr. Allison Palumbo

Harris Regional Hospital welcomes breast and general surgeon Dr. Allison Palumbo

Harris Regional Hospital is pleased to welcome board certified general surgeon Allison Palumbo, MD to Harris Surgical Associates. Dr. Palumbo joins Joshua Pratt, DO and Eric Reitz, MD in providing general surgery services to Jackson, Swain, Graham, and Macon counties and the surrounding region. Dr. Palumbo specializes in breast surgical oncology, including breast cancer genetics and high-risk breast cancer screening.  She has extensive training in lumpectomy as well as skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomy techniques.  Dr. Palumbo will also perform general surgery cases including hernia repair, gallbladder removal, and colon and small bowel resections.

Dr. Palumbo graduated from Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, W. Va., and completed a general surgery residency at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Dr. Palumbo served in the United States Air Force as a general surgeon at MacDill Air Force Base. She was deployed to Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan where she served as chief of general surgery for the country’s largest hospital. Dr. Palumbo received multiple awards for her military service, including the Air Force Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the NATO Medal. In addition to serving in the USAF, Dr. Palumbo received extensive training in breast surgical oncology during her time in Tampa, FL and practiced at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

“Dr. Palumbo brings specialized training in advanced breast surgical oncology that aligns with Harris Regional Hospital’s investments in 3-D mammography and our renovation and addition at the Harris Regional Cancer Center. Dr. Palumbo will be a great complement to the general surgery team, joining Dr. Pratt and Dr. Reitz,” said Steve Heatherly, CEO of Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital.

Dr. Palumbo has a passion for her patients.

“My mother was a family practice physician in a small rural community. Growing up I saw her interact with her patients at places like the grocery store, church, and the mall. I was inspired by the empathy that she had for her patients and the personal satisfaction derived from helping them in their time of need,” said Dr. Palumbo. “I understand that every patient is unique and needs a unique approach. I will treat them as one of my own family members and strive to be a kind, knowledgeable, and compassionate member of their medical team.”

Harris Surgical Associates is located at 98 Doctors Drive in Sylva. For more information, visit the Find a Doctor page on MyHarrisRegional.com or call 828.586.3976