Admissions to the Cape Breton Medical Campus, through the Rural Applicant Pathway prioritizes qualified Nova Scotia applicants with lived experience in rural Nova Scotia Communities.  

Following interviews in early 2025, successful applicants received offer letters at the end of March. Applicants now have until May 15 to accept their offer for CBMC. 

Up to 30 students will register for classes in August. Learners will attend classes at the new campus for the first two years of the medical education journey. Year 3 and 4 will be comprised of clerkship placements located primarily in Cape Breton and rural Nova Scotia, as well as throughout the Maritime provinces. 

To learn more about the program and admissions process, please visit www.cbu.ca/medicine  

The CBMC leadership and staff have seen wonderful expansion over the past six months, with appointments of physician faculty and key roles such as Simulated Patient Coordinator, Faculty Development Manager and most recently Director of Skilled Clinician Program. The full CBMC team is expected to be realized in April following the completion of active recruitment for remaining positions in upcoming weeks.  

In addition to ongoing program development, orientation for CBMC faculty is set to take place at the end of April with supplementary development sessions being offered to support effective tutoring and use of programming tools/software.  

Working closely with counterparts at Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine, the team have been developing the CBMC program to align with its vision of providing medical education focusing on family and rural medicine pertinent to communities across Cape Breton and rural Nova Scotia.

A key component of modern medical education, the simulation-based curriculum will provide students with a safe environment to study clinical skills in various formats including the Simulated Patient Program. Along with faculty tutors, opportunities for local physicians to contribute to student learning include serving as Elective Preceptors, Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Evaluators and Research in Medicine (RIM) Mentors, as well as participating in the Rural Medicine Week, Shadow a Doctor and Family Medicine Experience programs.  

CBMC Medical Sciences Centre – March 2025

With support from the Province of Nova Scotia ($58.9million) and partners like Cape Breton Building & Construction Trades Council ($200,000), the infrastructure of the campus will be conducive to the innovative and interactive approach to medical education at CBMC. With two major building projects, prioritization of key areas will ensure the readiness of the campus to provide exceptional education when students arrive this summer.

Medical Sciences Centre

The state-of-the-art building will house classrooms, tutorial rooms, a medical library and an anatomy lab as well as collaborative work and student spaces. Its design focuses on creating a home for students to receive exceptional medical education in the net zero carbon structure. 

Some of the completed work includes: 

• Awarding all building tenders 

• Acquiring CBRM approval of permits 

• Installation of all underground electrical/mechanical work 

• Installation of exterior steel framing 

• Design of audio video system and awarding contract for installation 

• Designing of furniture and ordering for production 

Construction over the next few months will transform the current interior views of steel framing and structural components with the addition of drywall, doors and hardware, masonry, glazing and window installation and millwork. With the recent installation of a roof draining system, crews are also preparing for the completion of electrical/mechanical work throughout the building. Exterior finishes and roofing will also be completed during this time. 

Former NSCC Marconi Building

Visible from University Boulevard, the main artery of the CBU campus, the medical sciences centre will connect via pedway to the former NSCC Marconi Campus building. Construction within the Marconi building will result in additional classrooms, student services and office spaces. The renovations have reached their own milestones including the completion of CBMC administrative offices in March.

CBMC continues to work with Nova Scotia Health on the development of the 10,000-patient collaborative clinic which will also be located within the building. The health authority will maintain operational oversight of the clinic which is expected to open this summer.