Our Story

Contingency Medical was created for adventurers. Our Contingency Medical packs grew out of the personal experiences of our medical director, Dr. Tad Cowley, who had created for himself an emergency medical kit for foreign travel or backcountry adventure. “I always felt lucky, as a physician, to have relatively easy access to medications that can be the difference between a successful trip and a medical disaster. It is exciting to have found a safe and effective way to provide fellow travelers with many of the same medications I use, in coordination with remote medical consultation when needed.”

Dr. Cowley has an impressive medical resume. After graduation from Stanford University School of Medicine, he trained in emergency medicine at the University of Arizona while also pursuing other graduate studies at the University of Southern California. His subsequent career, while frequently punctuated by a lengthy list of leadership positions and community projects, has always focused on clinical medicine, taking care of patients. Working as a fulltime emergency physician for more than two decades has provided a wealth of experience in medical emergencies including those emergencies associated with foreign travel or backcountry adventure.

Coupled with his experience in emergency medicine, Dr. Cowley brings a lifetime of personal experience as a traveler and adventurer. Whether it is the secrets hidden by the next ridge line, the promise of the next bend in the river or the mystery of a new culture, he deeply appreciates the need to explore. His hobby list includes road cycling, mountain biking, motorcycling, scuba diving, mountaineering, canyoneering, rafting, fishing, hunting, backpacking, triathlon, obstacle course racing, and piloting. He has travelled much of the world for service work or for adventure. His downtime is filled by his passion for literature, philosophy, languages and history.

The Contingency Medical packs are the result of Dr. Cowley’s life experience and medical expertise. By identifying the common symptoms and infections that can be managed initially with limited physician oversight, aligning them with prescription-level medications, and offering eMedical advice, Contingency Medical makes it possible for people to manage early steps of medical care until professional treatment is available. Our goal, as a company, is to help you explore the world with confidence.