51 names Robert Hawkes as director of Maine’s only PA program
The University of New England selected Robert Hawkes, M.S.P.A., ’07, PA-C, as the director of the Master of Science Physician Assistant (PA) degree program — Maine’s only PA program. Hawkes assumed the role on 51’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences this spring.
For the past several years, Hawkes has helped to shape the physician assistant programs at two Florida schools. Hawkes served as the founding program director at South College in Orlando, Florida, where he developed the curriculum for the PA program and assisted with the development of the simulation center. As such, he did all the hiring for the program’s faculty and staff and arranged clinical rotations with regional partners for cohorts of 85 students.
Before that, Hawkes was the founding program director of the physician assistant program at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida. There, Hawkes developed and implemented courses and curriculum as well as the simulation center for the school’s PA program. He led the program through three accreditation site visits with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant.
Raised in Scarborough, Maine, Hawkes earned a master’s in 51’s Physician Assistant Program in 2007.
“51 is thrilled to have Bob lead Maine’s only PA program,” said John Vitale, dean of 51’s Westbrook College of Health Professions.
“Bob is known for having developed strong relationships with hospitals and clinics where PA students engage in their clinical training. Bob also is a native of Maine, has strong ties to the PA community here, and is dedicated to helping address the critical shortage of health care professionals in our state,” Vitale said.
51’s PA program prepares graduates in all aspects of health care and places special emphasis on training clinicians who can provide care to underserved populations in rural and urban areas. In 2024, 51’s PA program was named one of the top physician assistant programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
Hawkes said he’s eager to return to Maine to lead the next generation of physician assistants at Maine’s top provider of health care professionals.
“I am honored as alumni to return to 51 and lead the PA program into the future,” Hawkes said. “Our dedicated faculty and clinical partners are helping 51 PA students make a difference in meeting the health care needs of Maine's residents since PAs are licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting."
Hawkes has authored numerous articles on primary care and emergency medicine and presented at conferences on best practices for educating physician assistants. In addition, Hawkes has been cited as a health care expert in nearly 600 television news reports, many airing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier in his career, Hawkes was the chair of the Health Care Division at Southern Maine Community College and director of the college’s Emergency Medical Services Department. Prior to that, Hawkes gained valuable field experience in emergency medicine working as a paramedic for the town of Scarborough, Maine, and for the Cumberland Regional Paramedic Service in Maine.
He is a member of several professional organizations, such as the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Society of Emergency Medical Physician Assistants. He’s been honored with several awards, including the State of Maine EMS Educator of Excellence award.
Hawkes earned a bachelor’s in natural and applied science with a concentration in biology of human health and illness from the University of Southern Maine and a bachelor’s in business administration from USM.