Dr. Gary William Gray

­An active pilot and a leading expert in aviation and aerospace medicine in Canada, for more than fifty years Dr Gary Gray has dedicated his life to the health and fitness of those wishing to fly. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1965 while attending medical school and began studying the effects of high altitude on humans, work that included ten summers spent at Mount Logan. He is now considered a leading expert on aerospace cardiovascular and pulmonary medicine, respiratory diseases, and medical evaluations and standards. As head of the Canadian Forces Central Medical Board, he developed the multi-factor aeromedical risk matrix to improve aircrew medicals; his work also updated the medical standards for aircrew selection and led to the review and development of new medical assessment tools. With the launch of Canada’s astronaut program in 1983, Dr Gray was asked to direct and lead the medical screening of Canadian astronaut candidates; he remains closely involved with the process to this day, having served as Canada’s representative on the International Space Station Multilateral Space Medicine Board and Chair of the station’s Medical Standards Working Group. Additionally, Dr Gray has carried out extensive teaching duties, including having taught all Canadian Forces flight surgeons who attended the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Medicine over the past four decades. During his varied career, Dr Gray has authored more than 100 scientific publications on aviation medicine, including reports for NATO working groups and he has provided assessment and medical certifications for more than 10,000 RCAF aircrew.