A Message from the Interim Senior Vice President and Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine, and Chief Research Officer

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Michael B. Whitehead, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, has been named Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies in the John Sealy School of Medicine. Dr. Whitehead has served as the Interim Chair since January 2025.

A member of our PA faculty since March 2021, Dr. Whitehead served as Associate Program Director in the department prior to this appointment.

Dr. Whitehead graduated from the US Army PA program and is a combat veteran. Post-Army, he worked in primary care for several years before becoming a full time PA educator. He earned his Doctor of Health Science degree from Nova Southeastern University and his Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

He started his PA education career as part of the founding faculty at the Wingate University PA program in North Carolina. He was the founding director of the Clarkson University PA program in northern New York state. He was a faculty member at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) Manchester-Worcester PA program. He then led a proposed new program and was the dean of the School of Health Professions at Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts, before joining us at UTMB.

His appointment is effective June 1. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Whitehead on his permanent role and wishing him continued success.

Sincerely,

Antonio C. Bianco, MD, PhD
Interim Senior Vice President and Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine
Chief Research Officer