The College, through the Student Health and Counseling Committee, establishes immunization requirements for all students.  These pre-matriculation requirements are based on the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and our consortium hospitals.  No student will be permitted to continue in the curriculum without meeting these requirements prior to matriculation. Each student is responsible for payment for all of the required titers. The required immunizations are listed below:

Chicken pox – proof of immunity can be documented by:

1) proof of personal history of illness;

2) two doses of Varicella vaccine within two months of each other; or

3) a positive varicella antibody titer documented with the lab report results (copy of lab report required).

If the results of your varicella titer are negative, then you would be required to receive the two doses of Varicella vaccine.

Hepatitis B vaccine – proof of immunity is a positive antibody titer (hepatitis B surface antibody [quantitative] – anti-HBs) documented with a copy of the lab report results. Students are required to obtain the three dose hepatitis B series as well as provide documentation of a positive hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) before matriculation. If students are receiving the hepatitis B series for the first time prior to matriculation it is recommended that you receive the first dose immediately, the second dose one month after the first dose, and the third dose four months after the second dose. One month after the third dose, then a titer must be drawn to provide proof of immunity. All students need to have titer results (copy of lab report) on file by December 30 of their first year at the College.

If the results of your initial hepatitis B antibody titer are negative, then you would be required to receive the three doses of hepatitis B vaccine and another hepatitis B antibody titer (copy of lab report results).

MMR (Measles/Mumps/Rubella) – proof of immunity can be documented by:

1) two doses of MMR; or

2) Positive antibody titers against Measles virus, Mumps virus, and Rubella virus. These must be documented with the lab report results (copy of lab report required).  If any one of the three antibody titers are negative (Measles, Mumps, or Rubella), then an MMR booster will be administered to the student.

Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, & Pertussis) – required for all students prior to matriculation unless you have received a tetanus booster within the last two years. Students will be required to receive the Tdap once the two year period has expired. Students will be notified if they are no longer in compliance with the immunization policy for the tetanus immunization.

TST (Tuberculin skin test) – is required on a yearly basis for all students.  A TST within 3 months (after June 1) is required prior to matriculation for first year students.  According to College policy when a student tests positive he/she is referred to our designated infectious disease specialist for follow-up and retesting.  If the student tested positive prior to matriculation and has consulted a physician, the results of that consultation must be presented to the infectious disease specialist as soon as possible. The student must comply with the management decision and is responsible for payment of services associated with the follow-up care.  If a student has had a positive TST previously, then the student would be required to have a chest x-ray (copy of lab report results) on an annual basis.  Annual TST clinics for second through fourth year students will be provided during orientation at the College.   

Students are strongly encouraged to receive an annual flu shot.  Each year the Office of Student Services provides a flu clinic where students may receive a flu vaccine.  The clinics are generally held during late October or early November depending upon accessibility of the flu vaccine.

Immunization Record

Revised 5-08