Three UTHealth Houston faculty join Shine Academy

The University of Texas System recently recognized three outstanding UTHealth Houston faculty for their teaching excellence and commitment to enhancing health science education by inducting them into the 2026 class of The University of Texas Kenneth I. Shine, MD, Academy of Health Science Education.

Honorees

• Hilary Fairbrother, MD, MPH, professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
• Peggy Hsieh, MEd, PhD, professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
• J. Michael Wilkerson, PhD, associate professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

“These faculty represent the best of the best in educational excellence among our over 2,600 faculty. They bring passion, dedication, and innovation to what they do, and set the teaching bar very high for the rest of us,” said Kevin Morano, PhD, senior vice president of Academic and Faculty Affairs and the Roger J. Bulger, MD, Distinguished Professor at UTHealth Houston. “We appreciate them tremendously and know the learners fortunate enough to be taught by them feel the same.”

Membership in the Kenneth I. Shine, MD, Academy of Health Science Education is bestowed annually on outstanding faculty across UT System’s academic health institutions.

Hilary Fairbrother, MD, MPH

Since joining the faculty at McGovern Medical School, Fairbrother has built a dynamic portfolio of teaching, curriculum innovation, assessment leadership, and mentorship that has shaped learners at every stage of training. From pre-clerkship seniors to graduating fourth-years preparing for residency, her influence is woven throughout the educational experience.

“Dr. Fairbrother brings remarkable energy and vision to everything she does. Whether she is leading our pre-clerkship curriculum or guiding faculty development in the Department of Emergency Medicine, she approaches medical education with both intellectual rigor and a deep care for our learners,” said LaTanya J. Love, MD, dean of McGovern Medical School and H. Wayne Hightower Distinguished Professor in the Medical Sciences. “What distinguishes Dr. Fairbrother is her commitment to the full continuum of education. She mentors students, residents, and faculty with equal dedication, and she never loses sight of the foundational sciences that ground our profession.”

Among her most transformative contributions was the redesign of the Team-Based Learning longitudinal curriculum, where she developed 16 clinically grounded cases that integrate foundational science with real-world clinical decision-making, creating a more cohesive and application-driven learning environment. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped guide the curriculum’s transition to an online platform, while still preserving active, small-group learning for a large class to prioritize student safety.

Beyond the pre-clerkship years, Fairbrother created and directs a fourth-year EKG elective that is one of the most sought-after courses at McGovern Medical School. In the Department of Emergency Medicine, she teaches residents, fellows, and students both in the classroom and at the bedside.

Fairbrother is also a member of the simulation team, helping to design and facilitate high-fidelity cases for both pre-clerkship and clerkship learners. Through rare procedure labs, simulation sessions, and didactic conferences, she provides sustained hands-on instruction that reinforces clinical confidence.

While serving as the chair of the Comprehensive Clinical Competency Exam Committee, Fairbrother oversees the required fourth-year examination that confirms readiness for residency. She has helped to modernize the exam, incorporate performance data analysis, and introduce new cases to better evaluate clinical reasoning. She also developed the “Night on Call” experience that offers fourth-year students tailored feedback on their strengths and areas for growth before graduation.

Fairbrother serves as a McGovern Society Leader and participates in the medical school’s Mentorship and Promotion Program, advising 16 interdepartmental mentees. Her mentorship extends nationally through her involvement with the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

As an educational administrator, Fairbrother became the first physician appointed as assistant dean of Pre-Clerkship Education. She previously served as vice chair of education in the Department of Emergency Medicine and has held leadership positions with national organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Peggy Hsieh, MEd, PhD

As an educational psychologist, Hsieh has developed a large portfolio of initiatives and activities that support the education of medical students, postdoctoral students, residents, fellows, and faculty at McGovern Medical School since joining the Office of Educational Programs in 2009. She serves as a professor and the assistant dean for Educator Development.

“Dr. Hsieh has an extraordinary ability to translate educational theory into practical strategies that elevate the way we teach and learn,” Love said. “Through her leadership and her tireless efforts with residents, fellows, and faculty, she has strengthened not only teaching skills, but confidence and purpose in those who are educating the next generation of physicians at McGovern Medical School and beyond as her work has helped other TMC institutions improve their own teaching programs.”

Hsieh’s unwavering commitment has resulted in the delivery of over 50 custom workshops and more than 90 presentations annually. Her expertise has expanded to other institutions, such as the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston. Further highlighting her leadership in educational development, she has been invited to speaking engagements both nationally and internationally.

Hsieh founded and directs the Physician Educator Certificate Program, which helps enhance teaching effectiveness among residents and fellows. After launching in 2016, the program quickly expanded within the Texas Medical Center, extending to collaborations at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2017 and Houston Methodist Hospital in 2023.

Since its inception, more than 450 residents and fellows have graduated from nine cohorts of the Physician Educator Certificate Program. Many of these graduates have gone on to secure academic positions, with some now holding leadership roles in medical education.

Additionally, Hsieh co-directs the Health Educators Fellowship Program, an 18-moth educator development program available to faculty throughout UTHealth Houston. She also provides mentorship to faculty with aspirations of working in educational scholarship and is involved with the Academy of Master Educators Peer Coaching Program.

J. Michael Wilkerson, PhD

Since joining UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in 2013, Wilkerson has cultivated a distinguished career defined by teaching excellence, mentorship, and impactful research.  

At both the state and national level, Wilkerson has gained broad recognition for his research and contributions in health promotion.

“Faculty members such as Dr. Wilkerson embody the spirit and mission of our school, training future public health leaders to improve public and population health. His nationally recognized work in health promotion, particularly in addressing opioid recovery housing through initiatives like Project Homes, has created lasting impact far beyond our institution,” said Eric Boerwinkle, PhD, dean of the School of Public Health, M. David Low Chair in Public Health, and Kozmetsky Family Chair in Human Genetics. “In and out of the classroom, he leads with a drive to advance the health of our communities. From leading statewide research projects to mentoring fellow faculty, he challenges those around him to think boldly and act with purpose, preparing them to lead with both skill and compassion.”

He currently serves as an at-large trustee for the Society for Public Health Education board of trustees, a nationwide network of public health professionals. Wilkerson is also a member of the society’s Advocacy Committee, which brings together national public health experts to identify and address critical public health issues. Since 2024, he has been a board member of the Division Board for the Certification of Health Education Specialists with the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) and represents the School of Public Health as an NCHEC ambassador.

Within the school, Wilkerson plays a vital leadership role as co-director of the UTHealth Houston Health Educators Fellowship Program and co-faculty coordinator of the Certificate in Health Disparities. In these positions, he helps shape and evaluate both initiatives, ensuring they remain responsive to the evolving needs of faculty and students while supporting strong academic rigor and practice.

For Wilkerson, teaching and mentorship are foundational to his work. His commitment extends beyond the classroom. He actively mentors students and junior faculty, guiding research efforts, supporting career development, and fostering collaborative scholarship.  Through his dedication, Wilkerson has cultivated a learning environment consistent with the mission of the school, creating public health leaders essential to solving the greatest health care challenges.