William M. Bethea, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.P.
Founder and Director

Dr. William M. Bethea earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1971 after completing his Bachelor of Science in chemistry at the University of Georgia in 1967. Upon completion of his medical internship at Ochsner Foundation Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1972, he served as a United States Naval Flight Surgeon for two years on board the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy. After his honorable discharge from the Navy, he completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birmingham, and was certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1977. Shortly thereafter, he joined Consultants in Internal Medicine Ltd in Norfolk, Virginia where his practice grew to be one of the most successful in the country. In 1990, Dr. Bethea was honored by his election to fellowship in the American College of Physicians. Over the years, he has been selected on multiple occasions by his peers for inclusion among the "Best Doctors in the Southeastern United States", "Most Outstanding Professionals in America" and "Best Doctors in America". His interest in the early discovery and treatment of serious illness led to his founding of the Sentara Executive Evaluation Center which he has led as its medical director since its inception in 1997. He has been recognized as an innovator in the delivery of medical care for the past thirty years, and remains at the forefront of high quality medical care utilizing cutting edge technology to the benefit of his patients. His leadership in responding to the changing environment of health care delivery has resulted in the development of previously unrecognized opportunities for the early detection and potential cure of diseases once considered essentially untreatable , as well as new opportunities for innovative delivery systems for high quality day-to-day medical care. His efforts are now drawing nationwide attention to the tremendous potential of aggressive screening for unsuspected disease. Dr. Bethea has been married to his wife Kathryn for thirty-six years, and has two children, Lauren and Allison. He is an instrument rated private pilot and a licensed Coast Guard captain. He and Kathy recently completed a 14,000 mile voyage from southern California to Alaska, then home to Virginia through the Panama Canal on their fifty-five foot boat during a year's sabbatical. Other avocations include bird and big game hunting from Argentina to Alaska, blue water game fishing and scuba diving. He and Kathy reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

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