Last summer, Sara Pereira, MD, joined the Department of Surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine as the division chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery in addition to her role as co-director of the renowned Cardiovascular Institute. Pereira’s leadership marks a new age of innovation for not only the School of Medicine, but for care across Indiana as a whole.
“At Indiana University, I saw a tremendous opportunity to strengthen cardiovascular care across the state,” said Pereira. “There’s currently no unified structure within cardiovascular subspecialty programs and I want to build and expand those services statewide. With the right resources, we can advance patient care.”As division chief, Pereira looks forward to amplifying and advancing division programs alongside a talented team of cardiothoracic surgeons.
“What’s most important to me is expanding our subspecialty programs, including robotic and minimally invasive surgery, heart transplantation, the structural heart program, the aortic program and many others,” said Pereira. “To do that, we’re strategically recruiting experienced surgeons to strengthen these areas and connect them to quality metrics and data.”
Pereira’s passion for cardiothoracic surgery was initially sparked when her mother underwent a critical operation. With the support of trusted advisors, her interest grew as she came to appreciate the field’s need for teamwork, precision and composure.
“I entered medical school inspired by my mother’s life-saving liver transplant, an experience that opened my eyes to medicine and the impact of compassionate care,” said Pereira. “Although I initially imagined becoming a pediatrician or primary care doctor, I fell in love with cardiothoracic surgery through mentors who nurtured my interest. The complexity of the operations, the preparation and the teamwork required in cardiothoracic surgery solidified my passion and drive to building strong, high-performing programs.”
In her pursuit of developing high-performing programs, Pereira also helps lead the Cardiovascular Institute at IU School of Medicine. As co-director, she looks beyond the significance of her title and focuses on advancing the institute’s mission.
“To me, the title itself wasn’t what mattered most,” said Pereira. “What mattered was what it represents, which is the chance to collaborate not only with IU Health institutions, but also with other organizations across the state, bringing quality care, research and value to all Hoosiers. As co-director, I have the privilege of helping to build and expand a statewide cardiovascular network supported by both the hospital system and IU School of Medicine, giving me a broader scope for leadership, innovation and growth.”
Pereira joins the School of Medicine after an impressive stint at the University of Utah, where she was program director of the Integrated and Traditional Cardiothoracic Surgery Training Programs and the surgical director of the Structural Heart Program.
“We grew the Integrated Program into one of the country's most desirable education programs,” said Pereira. “For the Structural Heart Program, we built multidisciplinary clinics and introduced new livestream technologies. It was incredibly rewarding to watch the program grow with clearly defined skills, dedicated staffing and the ability to compete for clinical trials while advancing education and structural learning opportunities.”
Although Indiana doesn’t have the mountains she became accustomed to in Utah, Pereira has thoroughly enjoyed her time in the Midwest. The hospitality and warm welcome from the Department of Surgery have made the transition easy.
“Everyone in the department is so welcoming, which you don’t get everywhere,” Pereira said. “Indianapolis has been such an inviting city and the people are incredibly kind. I feel at home here.”
You can learn more about Sara Pereira, MD, and the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery here.
