POLICY

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Medicine (COM) will provide an environment for the safe conduct of its mission in education, research, community service, and patient care. This policy is intended to provide students with reasonable protection against the transmission of infectious diseases within the environment of an educational and health care institution.

RATIONALE AND PROCEDURE

1. To minimize health risk the following immunizations or tests are required, prior to registration unless otherwise indicated:
   1. Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) series. Must provide documentation of the two-shot MR series, or of a positive titer.
   2. Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis. Must provide documentation of the adult Tdap shot within the previous ten years. If more than ten years has passed since prior immunization a Tdap booster is required.
   3. Hepatitis B series (HBV/HepB). The first of the three-shot series must be administered prior to enrollment, and the series plus a positive titer must be completed by the end of the first academic year. If vaccination has already been completed prior to enrollment, students must provide documentation of positive titer. If the titer is negative following immunization, the CDC recommends one repeat of the series. If the titer remains negative, no further vaccination is required.
   4. Varicella series. Must provide documentation of the two-shot Varicella series (Var or Chicken Pox), or of a positive titer.
   5. Polio series. Documentation of the polio vaccine (oral or inactivated) series is required. Typically, children in the U.S. get 4 doses of IPV at 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, and a booster dose at 4-6 years.
   6. Influenza vaccine. The most recent “flu shots” are required before beginning rotations at clinical sites. These are made available without cost at the annual Flu Shot Day in the Fall.
   7. Meningococcal vaccine. (Optional, unless required by a clinical site).
   8. Other vaccinations required by specific facilities.
2. Required immunizations, tests and related lab work will be available through UHS.
3. Students submit documentation of Immunization and test results through a designated vendor.
4. Waiver of an immunization may be requested on medical or religious grounds. A request form (https://uthsc.edu/health-services/documents/immunization-exemption-form.pdf) must be completed, signed by a college representative and by a medical provider if for medical reasons, and submitted to the Office of Medical Education or uploaded to the designated vendor. Clinical affiliates may impose additional restrictions or require additional documentation. In addition to the health risk, an immunization waiver could in some cases limit campus access or impose delays in clinical placement.

APPROVAL HISTORY

Effective: 09/17/18

Revised: 09/20/21