Charles Mitchell Shofner, M.D.

Kelley School of Business at Indiana University

“From construction roots to first-generation physician, this future MBA bridges cost-conscious and people-centered healthcare, globally.”

Hometown: Lebanon, Kentucky

Fun Fact About Yourself:  Despite grueling 28-hour hospital calls and new dad life, I have never had a cup of coffee.

Undergraduate School and Major:

University of Louisville; Bachelor of Arts in Biology & Bachelor of Science in Psychology

University of Louisville School of Medicine: Doctor of Medicine

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:

Chief Resident Physician of Combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics Residency

Indiana University School of Medicine

In the second half of the year, you will be completing an Academy devoted to areas like Marketing, Finance, Operations, Digital Enterprises and more. Which Academy interests you the most and why? I am most interested in the Consulting Academy, as it mirrors how I approach medicine: asking questions, working in teams, and tackling complex problems with limited information. In medicine, I have learned how to lead teams under pressure and guide patients through uncertainty, the essence of a consultant.  However, as a physician, I have also witnessed firsthand how the healthcare system struggles with efficiency, coordination, and cost. I am eager to gain additional training in how to diagnose and approach these challenges at a systems level. I also am very excited about the PLUS Life Science Academy to connect with others passionate about transforming this industry.

At the beginning of the school year, you will be completing Me, Inc., where you will engage in reflections and exercises to build your personal brand? In one sentence, describe your personal brand and how will it add value to the classmates and future employers? As a physician leader, I bring a lifelong commitment to helping others achieve their goals and a passion for strategically transforming systems to better serve people.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Indiana Kelley’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I was drawn in by the academy model of learning. I was looking for more than traditional didactical teaching, I wanted immersive, real-world experiences that would challenge my thinking. The structure of Kelley’s Academies offered exactly that: hands-on projects, executive mentorship, and industry-tailored expertise. For someone like me who is mission-driven and systems-minded, the academy structure felt like a natural fit.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Indiana Kelley? I am most excited about the possibility of participating in GLOBASE (Global Business and Social Enterprise) as it mirrors the kind of collaborative, purpose-driven work that has shaped my career. As a physician, I have cared for patients in the Andes Mountains of Peru, the Amazon jungles of Ecuador, and the Rift Valley of Kenya, working alongside local providers to deliver care in resource-limited settings. I learned that sustainable impact comes not from short-term missions but from cross-cultural collaboration and local strategic thinking. GLOBASE offers a change to fuse my past and future: using learned skills of business to sustainably uplift communities globally.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized Indiana Kelley was the right program for you? Why? The moment I realized Kelley was the perfect fit actually came during my interview. The conversation with a current second-year student felt less like an interview and more of a mentorship discussion on purpose and opportunities. It felt reflective of the school’s deep collaborative culture of service and humility. After spending the last four years calling Indiana home (training as a physician, building relationships, growing as a leader), I know I didn’t just want a top-tier MBA, I wanted one rooted in community. It was an easy choice to remain a Hoosier.

What has been your biggest achievement in your career? My greatest achievement has been and will always be the honor of caring for my patients. From helping families navigate the end-of-life care for their loved ones to watching the growth of newborns to reclaiming hope during battles with depression to celebrating defeating cancer, medicine changes people. All of these experiences have shown me both the power and the challenges in our healthcare system. My patients are the reason why I am pursuing my MBA: improve the system for the patients and families who trusted me.

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