Former CPT Dr. Melissa McCarthy ’92 has built a distinctive career at the intersection of emergency medicine and motorsports safety. She serves as program director of the Indiana University Motorsports Medicine Fellowship, a specialized, one-year program that prepares emergency medicine physicians to treat high-speed crash injuries and provide medical care at major sporting events.

McCarthy also serves on the traveling IndyCar medical team, providing medical support and crash analysis to help improve driver safety. Her work extends to NASCAR and the International Motor Sports Association, where she focuses on injury prevention, concussion assessment, driver physiology and cockpit safety. She is also collaborating with IndyCar engineers and technicians on the development of a new chassis, bringing medical expertise into the effort to make racing safer.

A former Army officer, McCarthy has carried her commitment to service and leadership into a highly specialized medical field, combining clinical care, physician education and research to advance safety in motorsports. Her contributions have earned her recognition as a member of the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Women of Influence Class of 2026.

Story and photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Business Journal.