Beebe Healthcare’s Wendi Schirvar, PhD, left, Ryan Arias, DO, Miri Shlomi, MD, Joyce Robert, MD, Tanya Ray, MS, Jeffrey Hawtof, MD, and Cynthia Lamour, DO, all of whom are affiliated with the Family Medicine Residency Program.

April 29, 2024

LEWES – Beebe Healthcare’s R. Randall Rollins Center for Medical Education is proud to announce that its Family Medicine Residency program is one of just 25 across the country that has been selected to participate in a special pilot project facilitated by the Society for Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM).

The project is designed to elevate the importance of competency-based medical education while integrating a more individualized and personalized approach to learning for medical residents.

“There is so much benefit in developing individualized learning plans for our residents, with consideration for each person’s special needs, strengths, and goals,” said Joyce Robert, MD, FAAFP, Program Director. “We are incredibly excited to be part of this project and to have the opportunity to lead the way and set an example for other residency programs to follow.”

In addition to implementing new hands-on approaches in the clinical training environment, the STFM program will put new technologies in the hands of residency program leaders, who will be spending more time on direct observation as they are working with clinical residents. The goal is to allow for real-time assessments in medical training environments. Additionally, the program promotes the importance of communication, teamwork, and leadership from a professional development standpoint, and work/life balance and wellness on a personal level.

“This project encourages us to look at what we are doing through a different lens and take a more holistic approach as we grow our people, and therefore our program,” said Dr. Robert. “It’s a chance to be at the forefront of positive change and we are excited to be part of it.”

Beebe’s Family Medicine Residency program welcomed it inaugural cohort of residents in summer 2023, and recently announced the second group of residents, who will come onboard this July. The program is led by Dr. Robert and Miri Shlomi, MD, Associate Program Director, both of whom will participate in a series of conferences sponsored by STFM, as Beebe adopts and implements its competency based medical education curriculum. They and their colleagues will have opportunities in the future to share their experiences and learned best practices through their activism in the Delaware Academy of Family Physicians (DAFP).

Recently, Dr. Robert was inducted as DAFP’s President-Elect and Ryan Arias, DO, primary care physician and faculty member within Beebe’s Family Medicine Residency program, was named DAFP Teacher of the Year.

“We have come a long way in a short period of time,” said Dr. Robert. “So many wonderful things are happening because our team is made up of a group of people who are passionate about the work, dedicated to doing things the right way, and committed to growing in a way that positions Beebe as a premier place to come for family medicine residency training.”

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Earlier this year, Beebe’s Family Medicine Residency broke ground on a new clinic in Long Neck, the future site where present and future family medicine resident physicians will see and care for patients.

With this new facility, the Family Medicine Residency can continue to expand to serve a culturally diverse population in one of the fastest growing areas of Sussex County. With the full complement of residents, the doctors will be able to provide about 7,000 primary care appointments.

“Access to primary care is one of our strategic pillars for the future of healthcare in Sussex County,” said Paul Sierzenski, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Physician Executive at Beebe Healthcare. “It is significant that Beebe is training our own physicians who could possibly stay in Sussex County. Many residents choose to stay where they completed their residency. It’s just one more way Beebe is addressing the community’s need for primary care.”

Beebe’s first four family medicine resident physicians started in July 2023. They have been seeing patients at the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus and at Beebe Primary Care Long Neck, which currently serves as the residency’s outpatient clinic. On March 15, the residency matched with four more physicians, who join Beebe this summer.

The office functions as a full-service primary care office, including seeing discharged patients, performing minor procedures, and offering women’s health services. The resident physicians accept patients of all ages.

“The new clinic seals Beebe’s residency program as a special offering for prospective residents and victory for access for Sussex Countians,” said Joyce Robert, MD, Program Director of Beebe’s Family Medicine Residency. “A recently renovated Shaw Building which houses the R. Randall Rollins Center for Medical Education – in combination with this new outpatient location – pairs Beebe’s clinical excellence with its 108-year legacy in an area that is rapidly growing and in need of primary care services.”

This would not be possible without the support of the philanthropy in the community, and a $1 million grant from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield’s donor-advised fund, BluePrints for the Community.

Beebe Healthcare is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness and restore optimal health for the people who live in, work in and visit the communities we serve. Beebe Healthcare has three campuses: the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, which houses the medical center; the Rehoboth Health Campus; and the South Coastal Health Campus. Beebe Healthcare offers primary care as well as specialized services in the areas of cardiovascular, oncology, orthopaedics, general surgery, robotic surgery and women’s health. Beebe also offers walk-in care, lab, imaging and physical rehabilitation services at several locations throughout Sussex County, in addition to a home health program and a comprehensive community health program. For more information about Beebe Healthcare, visit beebehealthcare.org.

DOVER, Del. — To address nurse staffing challenges impacting state-operated facilities, the State of Delaware is implementing an innovative tuition incentive program to enhance the recruitment of Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) in the state’s workforce starting December 1, 2023.

Following a public request for proposal process, Delaware’s Department of Human Resources has selected three agencies to train CNAs, with the State covering the tuition cost for CNA candidates of up to $3,000 per student. The three training facilities selected are: Bear Professional Institute, Inc, the Delaware Skills Center, and Sussex County Vocational Technical School District. The program provides a pathway for individuals with some nursing experience to obtain certification while securing employment with the state.

The State operates four healthcare facilities at the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Department of State (DOS), including the Delaware Psychiatric Center, the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, the Delaware Veterans Home and Stockley Center. These facilities provide medical services to senior citizens, veterans, and residents with severe mental health and physical disabilities.

“With Delaware experiencing the same nurse staffing challenges as every other state, we are offering this first-ever tuition incentive to attract more state employees to serve as certified nurse assistants,” said Claire DeMatteis, Secretary of the Department of Human Resources. “With certified nurse assistant vacancy rates of 40-50% in our state-operated healthcare facilities, it puts additional pressure on licensed and registered nurses in these facilities. With this new tuition incentive, along with signing and retention incentives for all types of nurses in our state facilities, we are investing significant state resources for the health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable residents.”

Participants are required to commit to working with the state for two years following their certification. DHR is pursuing a similar tuition incentive plan for licensed practical nurses (LPNs).

“I work for the State of Delaware because it’s a dynamic organization with plenty of professional development opportunities, great health benefits and a family-oriented culture. The educational opportunities provided have given me the knowledge to better understand the residents and deliver quality care. With hard work and determination, you can advance your career while working for the state,” said Hannah Sackey, a dedicated CNA currently serving in the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill.”

Once certified, CNAs receive a state salary of $34,000 along with a comprehensive compensation package, which includes health benefits, retirement benefits, paid time off, learning and development opportunities, employee assistance programs, recognition programs, and employee discounts.

Interested individuals are encouraged to apply for current nursing assistant job opportunities (Job Code-UDCD01) at one of the four state-operated facilities through the Delaware Employment Link at https://statejobs.delaware.gov/. For questions, please contact Germaine Harris, Nurse Recruiting Manager at 302-255-9148 or Germaine.Harris@delaware.gov.

LEWES – Beebe Healthcare will be hosting multiple hiring events in January.

Candidates must bring a copy of their resume and wear a mask. Please RSVP online by visiting this webpage and selecting the date: https://tinyurl.com/2p95u932. You may also call 302-645-3336 or email employment@beebehealthcare.org. Walk-ins welcome.

Beebe Healthcare is one of the largest employers throughout beautiful Sussex County, and we have exciting career opportunities available for qualified professionals. We are experiencing tremendous growth which allows us to offer more services to more people in more locations. Beebe Healthcare offers a healthy, supportive culture where you can truly flourish with an excellent patient-focused environment, and leading-edge technology. Working at Beebe provides a feeling of community and a place to call home away from home. Come join our team of heroes today!

For complete job descriptions and requirements for any of the listed positions, go to https://www.beebehealthcare.org/careers.

Environmental Services event

6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4

Beebe is conducting on-site interviews at the Specialty Surgical Hospital on the Rehoboth Health Campus at 19161 Healthy Way, Rehoboth Beach, DE, 19971. A $2,500 sign-on bonus is being offered.

Job roles include:

• Floor Techs
• Housekeeping
• Laundry Services

Beebe Medical Group event

9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 21

Beebe is conducting on-site interviews for a variety of positions at the Georgetown Health Center, 21635 Biden Ave., Georgetown, DE, 19947. A signing bonus between $2,500-$5,000 is being offered.

Job roles:

• Certified Medical Assistant
• Physician Office Nurse
• Patient Service Representative
• Patient Care Assistant
• Registered Dietitian
• Practice Manager
• Clinical Practice Manager
• Sr. Financial Analyst

Beebe Healthcare is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people who live in, work in, and visit the communities we serve. Beebe Healthcare has three campuses: the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, which houses the medical center; the Rehoboth Health Campus; and the South Coastal Health Campus. Beebe Healthcare offers primary care as well as specialized services in the areas of cardiovascular, oncology, orthopaedics, general surgery, robotic surgery and women’s health. Beebe also offers walk-in care, lab, imaging and physical rehabilitation services at several locations throughout Sussex County, in addition to a home health program and a comprehensive community health program.

For more information about Beebe Healthcare, visit beebehealthcare.org.