Dr. Kim Blake is a professor of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. She has been researching in CHARGE syndrome over the last 35 years and has published extensively. She has answered research questions concerning post-operative airway events, sleep apnea, bone health, cranial nerve abnormalities and gastrointestinal issues. In the last 10 years Dr. Blake has partnered with Dr. Jason Berman and they have developed a zebra-fish-model of CHARGE syndrome to answer further research questions. With this model they have been able to understand in more detail the Vagus Nerve in CHARGE syndrome which has influenced our clinical knowledge of poor gut motility. Adverse events following anesthesia has also been researched in our Zebra-fish-model and support the clinical findings that individuals with CHARGE syndrome respond adversely to anesthesia. Given the increased risk following anesthesia, individuals with CHARGE syndrome should have combined procedures where possible in one anesthesia. Dr. Blake is very proud of the CHARGE syndrome checklist which has been developed both for families, individuals, and professionals to use as a clinical guide and a teaching tool for managing CHARGE syndrome.

Dr. Blake’s other professional interest is in medical education research. She has developed the Structured Communication Adolescent Guide (SCAG). This is a validated programmatic assessment tool used to provide feedback to trainees from real Adolescent patients and Adolescent Standardized Patients (SP’s). Her areas of expertise in medical education are: Standardized patients particularly adolescents, feedback, and assessment. She has published widely and is recognized internationally. She has been awarded the prestigious prize of the Silver Shovel for the most outstanding clinical teacher at Dalhousie Medical School on two occasions. Dr. Blake reviews for numerous medical education journals and has been rated highly for this by the AAMC and MedEdPORTAL. Dr. Blake is one of the program organizers of the Clinical Skills Conference, held every 2 years in Prato, Italy; next conference May 2021.

To contact Dr Kim Blake, click here