Dr. Hawtof: Celebrating Beebe’s Physician Leadership Academy, Superstar in Education Award

By Jeffrey Hawtof, MD

I am proud and excited to share that Beebe Healthcare’s Leadership Academy was named winner of the 2026 Superstar in Education Award, presented by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. The Academy was founded years ago with a goal to formally educate, develop, and support strong clinical leaders, giving them the tools and resources necessary to practice, grow, and thrive in the ever-changing and challenging healthcare environment.

Now, with a Delaware medical school on the horizon and growing Graduate Medical Education programs at Beebe, I am especially proud to highlight this long-term investment and the difference it continues to make for our organization and community.

Leadership development for physicians has been a personal mission of mine for as long as I have been practicing medicine. I understand the impact and value it can have based on the leadership training I received myself; it was engaging, thoughtful, and transformative. It gave me the skills and knowledge needed to care for patients and support their families while optimizing quality, safety, communication, teamwork, and most importantly, clinical outcomes.

When I was named Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Beebe in 2011, leadership development for physicians was a clear priority. Our Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team supported my vision, understanding the link between investing in leadership skills for clinicians and Beebe’s future.

Over the years, many of these leaders have stepped up to take leadership roles throughout this organization. They use their new skills and real-world knowledge to help our team members and patients understand healthcare fundamentals and the role each of us play in improving health care in our community. The new skills also help them understand their role and how the healthcare business operates today as well as how it will operate in the future.

This collaboration has been incredibly meaningful and impactful.

Looking ahead, I am especially excited about the expansion plans for Beebe Healthcare and the opportunities it provides for medical residents pursuing their post-graduate training here at Beebe. Very few residency programs in the United States offer a formal leadership curriculum, and Beebe is one of them.

We believe it is important for residents to receive training that will prepare them to serve as outstanding clinicians and outstanding community leaders. As Beebe's residency programs continue to grow, including the recent accreditation of our Internal Medicine Residency, we are already seeing the positive impact of these investments in medical education, from expanding access to care for underserved populations to enhancing the overall patient experience.

Leadership must be learned, practiced, and continuously refined. Likewise, personal and professional growth is a lifelong journey. Regardless of how experienced or skilled someone may be, there is always an opportunity to learn and grow. The Beebe Healthcare Leadership Academy captures and celebrates that sentiment.

And for that, I could not be more proud.

Dr. Hawtof joined Beebe’s medical staff in 1998. He completed his medical school training at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia and his residency in family medicine at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, VA. Dr. Hawtof, is a past Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Beebe Healthcare and currently serves as the Director of Medical Education for Beebe Healthcare. His emphasis and focus on Beebe’s new R. Randall Rollins Center for Medical Education has been critical to the growth of the program.