CAF reservist Major Paul Dhillon named CMO for Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025

Major Paul Dhillon Photo submitted

THE Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, presented by ATCO and Boeing, on Friday named Major Paul Dhillon as Chief Medical Officer for the Games.

Dhillon brings a wealth of diverse experience and a strong military background, lending his considerable skill and expertise to ensuring the health and safety of all participants, and particularly the up to 550 competitors — wounded, injured and sick service members and Veterans — from up to 25 participating nations.

“The health, safety and security of everyone joining us at the Games next February, is our number one priority,” said Robyn McVicker, COO, Deputy CEO, Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025. “Major Dhillon’s incomparable experience and leadership give us great confidence that competitors, their family and friends, our workforce and attending supporters are in the best of hands with his oversight of the planning and delivery of medical support at the Games.”

Dhillon is a Canadian Armed Forces Reservist General Duty Medical Officer at 11/12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance. Following medical school at Ireland’s Royal College of Surgeons, he pursued post-graduate training in the UK, Italy, and Canada in Tropical Medicine and Disaster Medicine.

In 2014 he joined the military in Regina, Saskatchewan, with 16 Field Ambulance and served as 39 Brigade Surgeon. In 2021/22 he completed his Flight Surgeon qualification and his MBA at Royal Military College. His civilian medical practice includes emergency room and rural family medicine as well as national family medicine-related teaching engagements.

“As I reach 10 years as a Canadian Armed Forces reservist, I’m awed and humbled to offer world leading medical support — both mentally and physically — to the Invictus Games competitors as they continue their recovery journey through the Games in 2025,” said Dhillon. “A gold medal performance is to fully deliver on the Games’ medical support requirements, so that competitors can laser-focus on their sports and their path to recovery along with their families and friends, and all participants can enjoy the Games knowing we’re here if needed.”

Dhillon’s role will be to coordinate a fully comprehensive medical team of generalists and specialists with appropriate background and experience in supporting Veterans and service members. Major Dhillon will collaborate with national, provincial, and local public health professionals to facilitate a seamless delivery model that places the competitors and their families and friends at the core of service.

As spectators worldwide watch and cheer on Paralympians at the Paris 2024 Paralympics Games, the importance of medical support, both mentally and physically, for any sport and especially adaptive sport, is highlighted. Just 152 days after the 2024 Paris Paralympics end, Canadians and spectators around the globe will again be inspired by the courage, determination and resiliency of competitors overcoming adversity through adaptive sport.

Pre-register for tickets at invictusgames2025.ca/