The physicians at Asheville Arthritis & Osteoporosis Center, Kristin Gowin, Julie Levengood, Christopher Meyer, Ellison Smith and Jill S. Vargo are all Rheumatologists. A Rheumatologist is a physician who has trained extensively in the diagnosis and treatment of both adult and pediatric rheumatic disorders. The training to become a Rheumatologist involves completion of three years of training in Internal Medicine and two to three years of further training in Rheumatology. Rheumatologists do not perform surgery.