Principal: Dr. Renita GriffinJordan
Address: 200 Wisteria Avenue, Durham, NC  27704
Phone: 919.560.2001 
Hours of Operation: 9:15 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Enrollment: 359

Mission

Our mission is to challenge students through rigorous and authentic academic and healthcare experiences in collaboration with community partners.

Vision

Our vision is to prepare every student for success in college, career, and life in an environment that is relevant and inspires creativity, innovation, collaboration, and persistence.

History

City of Medicine Academy is a small learning community and a national model designed to educate and train students to work in the field of health services and medical care.  Located in the heart of Durham’s medical district, City of Medicine Academy (CMA) provides coursework and field opportunities focused on the healthcare industry with an emphasis on rigorous and relevant learning experiences.

CMA was originally located on the campus of Southern Durham High School and was in existence for 13 years before becoming established as a separate magnet school.

In 2008, CMA was housed in a temporary location and began preparing over 200 students for careers in the medical field.  Within three years, the school's permanent facility was built on the Durham Regional Hospital campus.   Currently, the school serves almost 400 students in grades 9-12.

Students who attend CMA are committed to becoming health care professionals.  They are provided with both core academic and health sciences curriculum from highly qualified teachers who are dedicated to infusing the health care thread in every course.  CMA provides the opportunity for students to complete the required academic courses while also receiving exposure to the healthcare field through job shadowing, field trips, guest speakers, mentoring, and problem-based learning.  City of Medicine Academy partners with the local medical community to provide field experiences for students in the form of clinic rotations and internships at local offices and facilities.

The Academy will accelerate students through the required academic courses, placing them on track for more advanced learning in the medical and health professions, through dual enrollment opportunities with Durham Technical Community College. Exposure to health care for students will begin early in the ninth grade through field trips, guest speakers, and project-based learning. Students are expected to dress in scrubs to acclimate them to the healthcare environment.  

In the junior year, students participate in clinical rotations as an extension of their academic and health care classroom training.  They are partnering with health care providers and are now observing and assisting in the day-to-day work of these medical professionals. By the time they are seniors, students spend the majority of their day in the medical/healthcare environment or take college-level courses to help advance their knowledge and prepare them for post-secondary opportunities. 

Durham, North Carolina is known as the City of Medicine. This identity has been built on Durham’s outstanding hospitals, universities, cutting-edge research companies, specialty clinical services, and major national and international healthcare organizations. The medical community has a major impact on the economy and growth of the community. The CMA is an innovative approach to learning and preparation for tomorrow’s medical workforce to help continue Durham’s prominence as a leader in medicine.