University of Cincinnati
05/12/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/12/2026 16:40
College of Medicine alumnae and faculty chair support shared alma mater
College of Medicine alumnae and faculty chair support shared alma mater
Michael A. Thomas, MD, and Megan Kessler, MD, make planned gift to support resident education
5 minute read May 12, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Story Like
Michael A. Thomas, MD, and Cincinnati OB-GYN Megan Kessler, MD, Med '92 met in the hallways of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in the early 1990s.
Now married and parents to two adult children, both Thomas and Kessler are respected leaders in their field. Thomas is a professor and the chair of the UC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Kessler practices at For Women, Inc, a practice within TriHealth.
"It has been the greatest privilege of my life to practice medicine," says Kessler. "It all started with my superior medical training as a medical student and resident at UC."
Grateful for their mutual success, of which they credit to their training at UC, they are supporting future departmental residents and fellows with an estate gift.
Supporting future OB-GYN physicians
Megan Kessler, MD and Michael A. Thomas, MD. Photo/Provided.
In fall 2024, Thomas and Kessler made a bequest in their estate to create the Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident and Fellow Education Endowment Fund, established to support the training of OB-GYN residents and subspecialty fellows at UC in perpetuity. With their previous support of the department and college, their total giving to date stands at more than $160,000.
"We believe it's important to have educational funds available for residents, to allow trainees to come up with innovative research projects or support their educational ventures," says Thomas.
Within the OB-GYN educational program, Thomas and his faculty colleagues train medical students and residents as well as fellows in the Divisions of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. The OB-GYN residency training program and two subspecialty fellowship programs train 28 residents and eight subspecialty fellows each year.
"Giving to the university pays dividends in the long term," says Thomas. "We give so that the people beyond our time here can hopefully have the same advantages we've had. It's important to leave something behind."
A legacy of mentorship
For Emily Hurley, MD, Med '13, adjunct assistant professor in the department, that faculty support - particularly from Thomas - played a key role in her career.
His mission to teach and advance the next generation is inspirational, and he's instilled the importance of mentorship throughout our residency program.
Emily Hurley, MD, Med '13
"I met (Dr. Thomas) when I was in medical school at UC," she says. "I was very interested in obstetrics and gynecology at the time, but I didn't know much about reproductive, endocrinology and infertility until I completed an elective rotation."
That rotation led to residency, fellowship and now her role as a faculty member and clinician within the department.
"The support I've felt from Dr. Thomas has been consistent throughout my training," says Hurley. "I remember attending national conferences in early training, and Dr. Thomas would introduce us to the prominent figures in the field. He helped us get to know the community and establish ourselves as young clinicians and researchers in the field. His mission to teach and advance the next generation is inspirational, and he's instilled the importance of mentorship throughout our residency program."
'Walking the walk' as a leader
In addition to his research and clinical care, Thomas has held several leadership roles in his UC and UC Health career. In 2020, UC Health named him the chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the first African American clinical chair at College of Medicine.
"My wife and I are very dedicated to the University of Cincinnati. It's important for people who are chairs, who are in any leadership role, to walk the walk and talk the talk (with our giving). There's a lot that can be done here through philanthropy."
Thomas says he's grateful that his other leadership role on the UC Health Board of Directors has allowed him to share in the passion of community members supporting the health system.
"I'm on the UC Health Board of Directors, and through that I have met a number of people who have a very focused philanthropic bent towards UC Health and the College of Medicine. Being around those people, it makes you want to do more. Being around other donors makes you strive to be a better donor."
Featured image at top: Exterior of the College of Medicine's CARE/Crawley Building. Photo/Chris Radcliffe for the UC Foundation.
This is how breakthroughs happen
Your generosity has illuminated what's next: Student success beyond the classroom. Bearcats winning on the Big 12 stage. The gift of discovery for the health of our community. When you give to the University of Cincinnati and UC Health, you invest in the problem-solvers of tomorrow.
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