Physician
As an orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, Dr. Hawkins has committed his professional career to providing an individualized care experience for his patients. This includes streamlining the office experience for young and old athletes alike, integrating specialized nonoperative treatments into his patients’ care, and adopting cutting edge, outcome driven surgical technologies in the operating room. He understands that these actions provide the foundation for patient CHOICE in selecting their BEST orthopaedic care.
A particular focus for Dr. Hawkins has been his commitment to giving back to the sports community, and he has constantly and consistently donated his time and expertise outside of the office for sideline coverage and training room management.
Over his 19 years in Pennsylvania, he volunteered as the team physician for DeSales University, Emmaus High School, Saucon Valley High School, Southern Lehigh High School, and Lehighton High School to name a few. Additionally he provided coverage for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, the AAA team of the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the minor league team for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Dr. Hawkins was a four-year letter winner and a senior captain of the Georgetown University swim team and uses this experience as a Division I athlete to help his patients overcome their musculoskeletal problems. He understands that their recovery, like success in athletics, requires commitment and dedication both from the coach (surgeon) and the player (patient).
He also has a unique perspective on patients from a diverse background, having been raised as the son of a Naval officer with time spent living in Boston, Virginia Beach, southern California, and Washington DC. His interest in medicine brought him to Georgetown University where he obtained an undergraduate degree in biology and then was fulfilled after putting himself through medical school at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. His success as the salutatorian of his medical school class led to an acceptance into one of the largest and most prestigious orthopaedic residency programs at the Hospital for Joint Diseases and Orthopaedic Institute in New York City. Dr. Hawkins was named as one of the two Chief residents during his final year, and was in charge of scheduling and organizing the educational activities for the 48 physicians in the residency program.
Following his five years in New York, he and his wife, along with their young daughter, took a large leap to Salt Lake City, where he completed a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Utah with Dr. Robert Burks. He and the family then moved back to the Lehigh Valley area of eastern Pennsylvania in 2001, where he joined a group of six orthopaedic surgeons. With his work and assistance over the last 19 years, this group developed a sports medicine program that grew to include four sports medicine orthopaedic surgeons, three primary care sports medicine specialists, and a total group size of over 25 musculoskeletal physician providers.
Dr. Hawkins’ practice is focused on the management of athletic injuries with a strong emphasis on shoulder and knee problems. He has performed tens of thousands of arthroscopic procedures over his career and is particularly focused on both primary and revision ACL reconstruction of the knee, rotator cuff repairs of the shoulder, and complex shoulder labral surgery. He has continued over the years with an active role as a teacher and instructor in these areas for fellow orthopaedic surgeons, athletic trainers, and physician assistants, both in Pennsylvania and nationally.
Education