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DOCTOR IN PROFILE
Dr. Blake Papsin's different interests came together like a song at Toronto's Sick Kids
Scattered energy. At one point in a multidimensional career, Dr. Blake Papsin could have been accused of being all over the map. A professional musician, surgeon-m-training and speciahst in psycho-acoustics, the young doctor didn't know what he wanted to be when he grew up. And it took years for things to finally mesh.
In his 40s. Dr. Papsin took a circuitous route to be where he is today - one of Canada's leading specialists in cochlear implants at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and a surgeon dedicated to bringing his love of music to deaf children.
While growing up, last thing on this wayward teenager's mind was to fol- low his father into the medical profession. No, Papsin's one and only pas- sion was music. High school over, he desper- ately wanted to join a band but at his father's be- hest, reluctantly agreed to try college. His music formed the backdrop to studies in psycho-acoustics at the University of Michigan.
But music and life on the road called again. He joined hundreds of bands for gigs across Canada and the U.S. playing guitar, mandolin, dobro (an acoustic steel guitar) and...