Care in the Air Symposium

The Care in the Air Symposium explores the multi-faceted nature of providing care in challenging and harsh environments. The 2026 theme “Austere Medical Response: Surviving a Bad Day” focuses on delivering life-saving care when resources are scarce, conditions are unpredictable, and time is critical.

This 2^nd annual symposium will showcase innovations and practical strategies for providing care in extreme and isolated settings, focusing on three core topics of: wilderness medicine, disaster medicine, and cutting-edge research and updates on utilizing blood products for resuscitation in remote environments. Sessions will resonate with aeromedical care providers and extend to a wide variety of disciplines including those working in remote communities or practicing wilderness, disaster, aviation, or aerospace medicine.

Explore how to make critical decisions under pressure, adapt to resource constraints, and leverage technology to deliver care in the most challenging circumstances. Uncover new ideas, innovative tools, and evidence-based approaches to optimize care when every second counts.

Who Should Attend?

Symposium programming will be of interest to:

Health professionals and researchers working in aerospace medicine, critical care medicine, emergency medicine, trauma care, wilderness medicine, or occupational medicine
Air ambulance, paramedic, and critical care transport medicine professionals
Military and civilian aviation medicine personnel
Entrepreneurs developing technologies with healthcare application
Students interested in learning about, and networking with, experts working in these fields

Conference Highlights

Visit the Ornge Toronto Island Helicopter Base and the Canadian Forces Environmental Medicine Establishment during experiential tours
Session on launch and landing contingency planning in space medicine
Interactive demonstrations with the latest virtual reality technologies

Dr. Joan Saary is the Director of the Division of Occupational Medicine in the University of Toronto’s Department of Medicine. With unique expertise in aerospace and dive medicine she consultants to various organizations including the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Space Agency. She is spearheading Aerospace Medicine training initiatives.
Joan Saary MD PhD
Co-Chair

Dr. Bruce Sawadsky is the Chief Medical Officer at Ornge and has over 20 years of experience within the Ontario provincial air ambulance program. His primary focus is clinical care provided in austere environments, such as transport and disaster medicine, as well as the measurement of quality of care and simulation-based training.
Bruce Sawadsky MD
Co-Chair