Charlotte AHEC

Joseph M. Ernest, MD

Joseph M. Ernest, MD attended medical school at the University of Mississippi and completed his residency at Charlotte Memorial Hospital. He also completed a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He currently serves as Chairman for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Carolinas Medical Center. His clinical interests include preconception counseling, and high-risk pregnancies.

Robert V. Higgins, MD

Robert Higgins, MD is the vice-chairman of academic affairs and residency program director in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Carolinas Medical Center. He is the associate director of gynecologic oncology. His research interests include cervix cancer, ovarian cancer, and resident education.

Jayanthi S. Lea, MD

Jayanthi Lea, MD graduated from East Carolina University School of Medicine and completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. She received her fellowship training in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Dr. Lea is board certified by The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the subspecialty Board of Gynecologic Oncology.

Dr. Lea has received many honors and awards including the "Best in Category Research Award" from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinical Meeting in 2007. She is also a Scholar and recipient of the Reproductive Scientist Development Program/NIH K12 grant.

Dr. Lea has a special surgical and clinical interest in ovarian cytoreductive surgery and fertility preservation in women with gynecologic cancers. Her primary goal for patients with gynecologic cancers is to maximize cancer survivorship and quality of life. Dr. Lea also participates in national collaborative clinical trials to provide patients with the highest quality options for cancer care.