On March 7, 2023, Premier Tim Houston announced a $58.9 million investment to develop a new medical sciences building at Cape Breton University, which will house the medical school campus slated to open in 2025 in collaboration with AV俱乐部.
The campus, the province鈥檚 second and the third campus for AV俱乐部 Medical School, will train 30 new doctors every year. It will include a new collaborative care clinic at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Marconi campus, and an expansion of Cape Breton University鈥檚 health and counselling centre.
鈥淔amilies across Cape Breton and our rural communities need more family doctors, and we know the best way to meet that need is to train more of them here and do more to ensure that the ones who graduate here, practise here,鈥� said Premier Houston. 鈥淣ova Scotians deserve to have more healthcare workers practising in their communities, and with a strong focus on rural care training, we expect better patient care happening across the province.鈥�
A proven track record
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AV俱乐部 Medical School has a longstanding history of providing medical education in Cape Breton, most prominently in Family Medicine residencies and Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships in North Sydney and New Waterford. The launch of the Cape Breton medical campus, and partnership with Cape Breton University, is the natural progression and important next step in fulfilling the Faculty of Medicine鈥檚 mission of healthier communities.
鈥淎V俱乐部 Medical School has a proven track record of providing excellent medical education opportunities throughout the Maritimes,鈥� says Dr. David Anderson, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at AV俱乐部. 鈥淲e look forward to partnering with Cape Breton University to train the next generation of physicians to further address the healthcare needs of the Cape Breton community.鈥�
A rendering of the medical sciences building
Transformative investment
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The new medical sciences building will be the cornerstone of the Cape Breton medical campus, housing educational and research space to train the next generation of family doctors. Their education will include special training in听rural health needs such as aging, frailty and disease prevention, as well as Indigenous health and African Nova Scotian health.
鈥淲e know that healthy communities are thriving communities and today, with this investment, we take a major step forward in improving the collective health of our citizens,鈥� said David Dingwall, president and vice-chancellor of Cape Breton University. 鈥淲e are deeply grateful to the Province of Nova Scotia for their faith in us, and for investing in a healthier future for our community. Simply put, this investment will change the face of healthcare in Cape Breton, in rural Nova Scotia, and the entire province.鈥�
Data has shown that physicians are more likely to work in communities where they鈥檝e had an educational experience. It is why AV俱乐部 Medical School residency programs outside Halifax have been so successful for recruitment of physicians to work in Nova Scotia.
This campus will offer students the chance to complete their medical studies in their home region of Cape Breton/rural Nova Scotia, and it will inspire them to stay and practice in the communities that shaped them.
鈥淭he funding and construction of a state-of-the-art medical sciences building is a transformative decision that will have long-lasting impacts on the healthcare of the region,鈥� said Dr. Jennifer Hall, associate dean of AV俱乐部 Medicine New Brunswick, who represented AV俱乐部 at the announcement. 鈥淔uture students can be assured that they will be receiving a world-class medical education in a facility that reflects their ambition and talents.鈥�
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