Vik Bebarta, MD, Named Chair of CU Anschutz Department of Emergency Medicine
Vik Bebarta, MD, has been named Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, effective October 1.
With more than a decade of extraordinary leadership at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine, Bebarta was selected after a national search based on his comprehensive vision to lead the nation in emergency care, education, and research; to expand the department’s diverse research portfolio; and to implement an operational program that is data-driven, fiscally agile, execution-focused, and patient-centered.
“I am proud to announce that Dr. Bebarta will be deploying his best-of-class executive leadership skill for the benefit of the entire School of Medicine,” says John Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs at CU Anschutz and Dean of the School of Medicine.
“Dr. Bebarta has made extraordinary contributions to CU over the past decade, and I am confident that he is the leader we need now to help us achieve Top 10 in 10,” Sampson says. “He proved he is the best leader for this job through years of exceptional performance and steadfast dedication to our school.”
A practicing emergency physician and clinical leader, Bebarta brings frontline credibility to the evolving challenges of modern health care systems. He is known globally for building high-performing teams, shaping strategy, and advancing innovation in emergency and acute care. He has deployed multiple times as a U.S. Air Force combat physician and currently serves as a reserve military colonel, giving him unique insight into mission-focused leadership under pressure.
Bebarta has authored over 260 peer-reviewed publications and served as principal investigator on more than 30 federally funded grants. He has secured almost $200 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) research funding by leading teams that have driven transformative projects shaping national policy, advancing battlefield and civilian care, and accelerating translational science across institutions.
Respected as both a thought leader and an operator, Bebarta knows how to build communities, create vision, and deliver results. Under his leadership, the CU Anschutz Center for Combat Medicine and Battlefield (COMBAT) Research has become a trusted national leader and partner - aligning science, policy, and clinical practice. His mentorship programs have trained the next generation of research leaders in academic medicine, health care, the military, and industry. In 2023, he was named Mentor of the Year by the CU Anschutz School of Medicine.
Bebarta’s national influence includes invitations to present to the National Academy of Sciences, advising senior leaders in health and defense, working with Congress and prior White House administrations, and serving on NIH and DoD scientific review boards. His work has earned over 30 national and military awards, including the National Hero of Military Medicine Award.
Bebarta was named interim chair on May 1, when Richard Zane, MD, stepped down in advance of becoming the Chief Medical Officer for UCHealth.
“I am honored to be joining Dr. Sampson’s best-in-class, forward-looking, innovative executive team,” Bebarta says. “We have many great strengths already. Our alignment with UCHealth on clinical priorities will allow us to deliver impactful care to our communities. We are one of the top departments in the nation for Department of Defense-funded research, near top 10 in NIH funding, and one of the largest departments in research funding on the CU Anschutz campus. We have a top five emergency medicine residency program and are ranked among the top five for medical student rotations. I am committed to building on these strengths and our other strategic advantages to make us the best medical school in the country.”