Immunizations

In order to assure that all students are protected against preventable communicable illnesses, immunization requirements must be met prior to matriculation. Medical students do encounter certain exposure risks when caring for patients with infectious diseases and medical students can also expose patients to disease, some of whom have compromised immune statuses due to infectious diseases or other medical issues. Students who have not been immunized because of religious beliefs or valid medical reasons must provide documentation certifying that fact prior to matriculation. These individuals may be excluded from academic activities, particularly in the event of an outbreak of such diseases. Please review the Immunization, Infectious and Communicable Disease, and Needle Stick Injury Policies of the Student Handbook.

OBTAINING RECORDS AND IMMUNIZATIONS

All students in the healthcare professional schools are required to provide information about their immunizations because of the clinical environments in which they will be working. This is to protect students from becoming ill through potential occupational exposures and to protect patients from contracting an illness from a student. Most clinical sites will not allow you to work there until the University Health Service (UHS) has notified them that your immunizations are up to date and complete. See below for UHS information and immunization requirements.

New students beginning their academic MD career in the Summer of 2018 will become active in CWRU’s Student Information System (SIS) on May 10th which will give you access to the University Health Service online portal, MyHealthConnect. You will need to submit a series of immunization records to MyHealthConnect prior to Monday, June 25th so don't wait until the deadline. The technical requirements and upload information for MyHealthConnect is available here. University Health Service is the overseer of the system of record for immunization compliance at CWRU.

The SOM Registrar will begin enrollments in SIS on June 26th. Students with SIS Holds (e.g., Immunization Non-Compliance, Financial Responsibility Agreement) will not be enrolled. Having a hold on your student account has negative implications such as the inability for the Registrar’s Office to make attestations or verifications on your behalf, the inability to receive financial aid disbursements, and can affect the status of international students.

Please note that TB (PPD test) and flu shot clinics will be offered in the Fall and new students can wait until the clinics occur in order to meet the TB and flu shot immunization standard. More information about TB and flu clinics will come from Student Affairs in the coming weeks. Students who continue to be non-compliant with TB and flu by November 1st will receive an immunization hold on the student account.

Medical students must check MyHealthConnect to track their own expiration dates and maintain immunization compliance at all times while a medical student.

Please contact University Health Service (UHS) at healthservice@case.edu or call 216-368-2745 with questions about immunizations and the Registrar's Office may be contacted at som-registrar@case.edu with questions regarding registration.

UHS Information and Immunization Requirements – Refer to the entry for "What immunizations are required for Medical Students?" You will find other useful information on this site too.

TB Test FAQs (A two-step Tuberculin Skin test will be provided by UHS once you are on campus)

Please contact healthservice@case.edu or 216-368-2745 for any questions about immunizations.

Immunization FAQs:

1. Q. If I'm lacking a particular immunization, can I get it at University Health Services after I arrive?

A: Yes and no. Students will not be able to go to UHS until the first day as a student (July 11th), but this is long after immunizations are due in MyHealthConnect. The first step would be for students to contact their primary care physician for all immunizations besides TB and flu, which can be done at UHS at a later date.

2. Q. If I need to get a titer checked, can I get it done at University Health Services?

A. Yes and no. Students will not be able to go to UHS until the first day of class as a student (University Program: July 11th / College Program: July 9th). Again, the first step would be for students to contact their primary care physician for all immunizations besides TB and flu, which can be done at UHS at a later date.

3. Q. I was a CWRU undergraduate student. Do I need to re-submit my immunization records to University Health Services?

A. Only if the immunizations have expired.

4. Other Immunization FAQs - HERE

Flu Shots:

The University Health Service will be on hand on two separate dates in October to administer your annual flu shot. Be on the lookout for an announcement from the Office of Student Affairs in the early fall.