Kavi Singh MD FCFP-EM DIMM

Medical Director, Emergency Preparedness, Disaster & Risk Management
Medical Advisor & Simulation Coordinator,
Austere Medicine Collaboration CHB, CRC, CSA
Former Board of Directors Canadian Association of Wilderness Medicine
Emergency Medicine Performance Under Pressure

25 years ago, in a Twin Otter at 10 000’, with a crashing patient & frozen IV lines, Dr. Kavi Singh learned 2 things:
1. Body heat & armpits were ineffective at thawing IV lines at -30C
2. His training had not set him up for success in the harsh reality of austere
medical care in N. Quebec.

Subsequent attempts to find solutions using the medical training paradigms of the day resulted in little change and large frustration.

An epiphany occurred when he realized that, for high stress situations, his sport training in white water kayaking and combat sport was much more structured than his medical training.

Spurred on by his need to get better or get out, he applied performance training principles from sport, aviation and music to acute care medicine.

The dramatic success of this cross disciplinary exchange led to the realization that for performance under pressure, 'This was the Way’.

Taking these lessons to heart, after working for 15 years, Kavi returned to residency for an EM fellowship, with the primary goal of advancing and modernizing acute care education.