What: An international faculty of physicians and scientists specializing in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine has been assembled to present the 8th CSA Z275 Level 1 Introductory Course in Diving Medicine: Fitness to Dive.

Where: The course will be held in the centre of downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia at Royal Artillery (RA) Park Officers Mess, 1575 Queen St., Halifax, NS  B3J 2H9.

When: This 5-day course will take place from 11-15 May 2026. The course has a maximum course load of 20 participants and will include occupational tours and site visits.

Prerequisites: A Physics Pre-Instruction Package (PIP) will be sent out to course participants at the time of registration. As there is not enough time to teach the entirety of diving physics and gas laws during the course, all participants must complete this diving physics package prior to arriving on the course. There will be a brief 1-hr review lesson the first morning of the course for any questions.

Accommodations: A Nova Scotia Health corporate rate of $199 + tax per night has been negotiated for a small number of rooms at the Cambridge Suites Hotel located across the road from RA Park at 1583 Brunswick St., Halifax, NS  B3J 3P5. This includes breakfast and WiFi; parking is extra. The usual rate for mid-May is $339 + tax per night. Call (902) 420-0555 and book under Group ID: DIVEMED. You can also visit their website at: https://www.cambridgesuiteshalifax.com

Cost: The cost for the Level 1 is course will be $1,825.00 CDN, which includes 14% HST. All course materials, tours/site visits and transportation are included in the fees, as well as accreditation/CME credits (see below), certification as a Level 1 Dive Physician with the Divers Certification Board of Canada, a morning coffee break and snack, and catered daily lunches.

Pre-Course Seminar: Although no previous knowledge in diving medicine is required for the Level 1 course, there are significant differences in the level of knowledge and/or experience that course participants arrive with. Some have no background in diving medicine, diving physics or gas laws, while others are avid recreational divers or have taken previous Level 1 courses and are re-certifying (if required for their job or their province’s rules and regulations). Although the material taught is aimed at participants with little to no knowledge of the subject, there are frequently a number of very knowledgeable and experienced physicians taking the course which often drives the depth of questions and conversations. This has led to some ‘deer in the headlights’ moments for participants who do not have the same degree of knowledge and experience. Finding a way to bridge this gap has been mentioned in past course evaluations.

As a result, we will be holding an optional ½ day pre-course ‘Overview of Diving’ on Sun, 10 May 2026 from 10 am – 3 pm at the Royal Artillery Park Officer’s Mess for an additional $150 fee; this also includes 14% HST and lunch. Topics will include: definitions/diving terminology, types and range of diving, an in-depth introduction to diving physics and gas laws, an overview of diving physiology and pathophysiology, and recommendations for additional reading. The setting will be more relaxed and there will be ample time for questions.

Accreditation: Upon successful completion of this course, physicians will qualify as a CSA Z275.2-20 Level 1 Diving Medical Examiner and can have their name listed with the Diver Certification Board of Canada (DCBC) to conduct commercial diver medicals in Canada. In addition, this course has been accredited by the Canadian College of Family Physicians for 35 MAINPRO+ CME credits, CCFP course ID number: 300370-2. Cross-over CME credits are also available from the Royal College.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Debbie Pestell at drdeb1@ns.sympatico.ca, or by phone at: (902) 225-8214.

Finally, our new updated website has a ‘members only’ section where copies of the course lectures, additional course materials and scientific papers, course photos and videos will be available. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you bring a laptop with you for review and study purposes before the course exam. The exam will be held on Friday afternoon, the last day of the course, so please do not book flights home until after 19.00h on Fri, 15 May 2026. The airport is located 35 km from downtown Halifax and is an absolute misery to get to on Friday afternoons during rush hour (anticipate an hour+ by taxi).