{"id":119,"date":"2024-12-04T11:19:49","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T16:19:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/?page_id=119"},"modified":"2025-09-19T13:52:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T17:52:57","slug":"clinical-student-requirements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/health-requirements\/clinical-student-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"Clinical Student Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Boston University policy and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/doc\/105-cmr-220-immunization-of-students-before-admission-to-school\/download\">Massachusetts law<\/a> require additional immunizations and testing for clinical students. These requirements protect patients and the medical community at-large\u2014whether working directly with patients or not. Clinical students include those:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Enrolled in a medical, dental, or clinical sciences program<\/li>\n<li>Working in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/healthcare\/who-are-bus-healthcare-providers\/\">DPH-licensed healthcare settings<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>Please submit your documentation one month before the start of your first semester. <\/span>Student Health Services will notify schools and colleges of students or residents who are not compliant with these requirements, which may result in sanctions.<\/p>\n<h3>Requirements for Clinical Students<\/h3>\n<p>You must provide documentation of the following:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Flu vaccination.<\/strong> Annual influenza vaccine given on or after August 1 of the current academic year. Proof of the influenza vaccine must be uploaded to <a href=\"http:\/\/patientconnect.edu\">Patient Connect<\/a> by December 1.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hepatitis B immunity.<\/strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Either<\/span> a complete 3 dose Hepatitis B series (or 2 doses of Heplisav) and positive titer <strong>or<\/strong> laboratory evidence of prior infection with Hepatitis B.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Varicella immunity.<\/strong> Two doses of varicella vaccine <strong>or<\/strong> positive varicella titer. We do not accept a date of disease.<\/li>\n<li><strong>COVID-19 vaccination.<\/strong> Up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination required for Medical, Dental, Physician Assistant students and healthcare personnel working in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/healthcare\/who-are-bus-healthcare-providers\">Boston University DPH-licensed healthcare facilities<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tuberculosis (TB) testing.<\/strong> Learn about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/health-requirements\/immunization-compliance\/tuberculosis-tb\/\">TB testing requirements<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>How to Submit Your Documentation<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Log into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/patient-connect-portal\/\">Patient Connect<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Choose the <strong>Medical Clearances<\/strong> option on the left-hand side of the screen.<\/li>\n<li>Click the <strong>Update<\/strong> button to the right of <strong>Immunization Record<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Click the <strong>Upload<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n<li>Select the document from your device.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Save<\/strong> once completed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Requirements for Clinical Rotations<\/h3>\n<p>If you will be away from BU for a clinical rotation, your site may require you to complete health requirements and paperwork that are separate from BU.<\/p>\n<p>If you are required to submit documentation, you may be able to complete the process online with SHS:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Log into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/patient-connect-portal\/\">Patient Connect<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Choose the <strong>Messages<\/strong> option on the left-hand side of the screen<\/li>\n<li>Choose <strong>New Message<\/strong> and select <strong>Rotation Form<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>Add attachment<\/strong> and select the form from your device<\/li>\n<li>Respond to the rotation questions<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Send<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>SHS will review the form and contact you within 2 to 3 business days with an update. You will receive either a completed form through Patient Connect or we will contact you about scheduling an appointment. Depending on your medical history and form requirements, you may require additional immunizations, Tuberculosis testing, or a physical exam.<\/p>\n<h3>Waivers &amp; Exemptions<\/h3>\n<p>Massachusetts requires vaccination to protect our community and minimize the spread of preventable disease. Furthermore, clinical student requirements protect patients and the community at-large.<\/p>\n<p>Waivers for immunizations will only be granted in select circumstances:<\/p>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Meningitis vaccine waiver<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><br \/>\n<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/health-requirements\/immunization-compliance\/meningitis-compliance\/\">Learn more about declining this requirement.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Flu vaccine exemption<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><br \/>\n<\/strong>Students must review the risks of waiving the influenza (flu) vaccine and indicate whether the exemption request is for medical or religious purposes. A clinician will review the request and update your compliance within 2 to 3 business days.<\/p>\n<p>Follow these steps within <a href=\"http:\/\/patientconnect.bu.edu\">PatientConnect<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Select <strong>Messages <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>New Message <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>Immunization, medical records, and other general questions <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>Request for Influenza (Flu) Exemption <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Review the risks and complete the form<\/li>\n<li>Check the box where directed<\/li>\n<li>Click Send<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">COVID-19 vaccine declination<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/strong><br \/>\nStudents must review and acknowledge the risks of waiving the COVID-19 vaccine. A clinician will review the request and update your compliance within 2 to 3 business days.<\/p>\n<p>Follow these steps within <a href=\"http:\/\/patientconnect.bu.edu\">Patient Connect<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Select <strong>Messages <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>New Message <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select<strong> Immunization, medical records, and other general questions <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>COVID-19 Vaccine Declination <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Review the information and check the box where directed<\/li>\n<li>Click Send<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Religious waiver<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><br \/>\n<\/strong>Students seeking a religious waiver must state in writing that the required immunizations would conflict with their religious beliefs. Religious waivers are valid for 1 year and need to be submitted annually. To request a religious waiver, call (617) 353-3575 or send us a message in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/patient-connect-portal\/\">Patient Connect<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Medical waiver<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><br \/>\n<\/strong>A healthcare provider must certify that immunizations are contraindicated due to a prior adverse reaction or current medical condition. Medical waivers are valid for 1 year and need to be submitted annually. To request a medical waiver, call SHS at (617) 353-3575 or send us a message in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/patient-connect-portal\/\">Patient Connect<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Boston University policy and Massachusetts law require additional immunizations and testing for clinical students. These requirements protect patients and the medical community at-large\u2014whether working directly with patients or not. Clinical students include those: Enrolled in a medical, dental, or clinical sciences program Working in DPH-licensed healthcare settings Please submit your documentation one month before the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1301,"featured_media":0,"parent":20,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/119"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1301"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3257,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/119\/revisions\/3257"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/shs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}