IU Names First Chief Health Officer

One of the key figures on Indiana University’s COVID-19 medical response team has been appointed as IU’s inaugural chief health officer. In the new role, Dr. Aaron Carroll will be responsible for leading and coordinating IU’s response to major health issues, including public health emergencies.

IU says Carroll will also seek to identify emerging health issues so the university can take practical and proactive steps toward prevention or mitigation.
 
“Over the last year of our intensive and all-consuming efforts to keep Indiana University safe from the pandemic, as well as open and functioning as close to normal as possible, the need for a more systematic university-wide approach to future public health crises and to on-going medical and other public health issues has become clear,” said IU President Michael McRobbie.

McRobbie says after consulting with senior leadership and public health experts, the university felt it needed to establish the position of chief health officer.
 
During the pandemic, Carroll was featured in his ‘Ask Aaron’ webinars, which allowed the university community to hear first-hand about the school’s response to the healthcare crisis.

“Helping to lead Indiana University’s COVID-19 response has been some of the most meaningful work of my career,” said Carroll.
 
Carroll is a distinguished professor of pediatrics and associate dean for research mentoring at the IU School of Medicine.