Department of Emergency Medicine’s new division chief and vice chair promises new vision 

The Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine has named Cory Showalter, MD, the new vice chair and division chief of pediatric emergency medicine, after serving as interim division chief since 2023. Showalter joined the department in 2012 and is currently an associate professor of clinical emergency medicine and pediatrics. A lifelong Hoosier with a career grounded in expanding access to care, Showalter brings a powerful blend of clinical experience, leadership and vision to the role.  

"Cory has served brilliantly over the last 2 years as the interim division chief. It's difficult to serve as an interim. Yet Cory has grown the division across all three missions: clinical, education and research,” said Peter S. Pang, MD, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. “And despite the many challenges that come with increased patient volumes, under Cory's leadership, the division continues to provide exceptional care for children throughout the city and state. I am excited about Cory's vision. I am confident we will all see the health of children improve throughout the state as a result of his leadership.” 

Showalter grew up in Goshen, Indiana, and has always carried a strong sense of responsibility to improve health care access for children across the state. “No matter where you live, what your background is, I want your kids to have access to great care,” he said.  

Since becoming medical director in 2015 and later as interim division chief, Showalter has led transformative growth initiatives across the state. The division has significantly expanded beyond downtown Indianapolis through new pediatric emergency services at Riley Children's Health at IU Health North Hospital and upcoming at Riley Children's Health at IU Health Fishers Hospital. His commitment to providing access to high-quality emergency care for children in Indiana enabled Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health to serve nearly 70,000 pediatric emergency medicine patients across multiple sites in 2024. 

In his role as director of Riley Children’s Care Alliance, Showalter has led statewide efforts to standardize pediatric care and improve access to Riley through relationship-based partnerships with referring community pediatricians and emergency medicine providers. The team has streamlined referral pathways by enhancing coordination between referring providers and Riley Children’s Health and has ensured consistent care across more than 125,000 Indiana University Health pediatric emergency visits annually.  

“We want to bring world-class care closer to home for patients and families,” he said.  

Even in locations where Riley Children’s Health physicians aren’t physically present, his programs and teams have ensured that patients receive quality care.  

Looking ahead, Showalter is focused on training the next generation of physicians, strengthening the division’s research capacity with a focus on access and outcomes and driving innovation in care delivery models. 

“Our legacy is the learners that we train and the patient lives that we improve,” he said.  

He credits much of his leadership philosophy to the legacies of Carey Chisholm, MD, Kevin Rodgers, MD, and Christian Strachan, MD, sharing, “They built the heart and soul of the Department of Emergency Medicine. They treated pediatric emergency medicine as an equal part of the department.” 

He looks forward to expanding access to pediatric emergency care closer to home for all families and providing better care by leveraging tools like point-of-care ultrasound and digital health platforms to deliver timely, high-quality care in every corner of the state. 

Dr. Showalter graduated from Indiana University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He received his MD from Indiana University School of Medicine in 2005, and completed his pediatric emergency medicine residency, chief residency and fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.