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Clearance for Clinical Year

Criminal Background Checks

Current laws generally permit a state licensing board or agency to deny a license to practice if the applicant has been convicted of a felony or other specified crime. Like many state-licensing boards, the Office of the Professions of the New York State Education Department requires that a criminal background check be conducted prior to granting a license.

The City College of New York does not require a criminal background check for admission. Yet a number of hospitals or other off-campus clinical training sites require a student to undergo a criminal background check and a toxicology screening before the student can be placed for clinical training.  The CUNY School of Medicine PA Program has arranged an account with Castle Branch where the students can have a background check and ‘Chain of Custody’ toxicology-screening document; the required student fees are covered by the CSOM PA Program (as of Fall 2025). 

A site may deny a student access to its facility based upon the results of a criminal background check even if the student has already begun the clerkship, regardless of the student's performance up until that point. Furthermore, a clinical site has the right to ask the student to pay the cost of the background check. Students frequently undergo more than one criminal background check during the clinical year. The CUNY School of Medicine PA Program will pay only for the first criminal background check.

Toxicology Screening

Some clinical rotation sites also require that students undergo a drug test as a condition of their access to the site. Students may be responsible for the cost of repeat testing. Testing positive or refusing drug testing may result in an inability to complete the clinical year, and to graduate.

Please note that if a clinical training site determines that a student may not take part in its training program based on the results of a criminal background check or drug test (or due to refusal to submit to a drug test), s/he may be unable to complete the course requirements and to continue in the professional program. 

Neither the Physician Assistant Program nor CCNY has the obligation to refund tuition or other fees or to otherwise accommodate a student in the event that course requirements cannot be completed based on the results of a criminal background check or drug screen, or if a license to practice is denied.

See: https://medicine.cuny.edu/criminal-background-checks/ 

Health Clearance

All students must provide the Program with evidence of physical fitness including non-contagion to infectious disease. The Occupational Health Service (OHS) of Harlem Hospital provides this service for free.  Copies of ALL the medical clearance documents needed for rotations are to be brought to the PA office to be filed on the students record. Copies of all the medical clearance documents are to be uploaded into Typhon.  For rotations out of Harlem Hospital students are required to keep a copy of their medical information and present it to the preceptor/administrative personnel 4 weeks prior to the rotation start day. In addition, you must email the site or bring a copy to the site on the first day of rotation. Each site can request different protocols. Failure to maintain an updated medical clearance can/will result in removal from rotation and graduation delay. 

Requirements for Health Clearance

  • Physical Examination

  • The physical examination is a part of the initial health clearance offered by Harlem Hospital OHS. Medical clearance by OHS must be renewed on or near the anniversary date for each year the student is enrolled in the Program.

  • Immunity from Infectious Disease

  • The titer for the following diseases must be obtained:

    • Rubeola, Mumps, Rubella

    • Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus

    • Varicella

    • Hepatitis B

  • The word “Immune” submitted by a PCP will not suffice for this purpose.  A childhood record of vaccination (MMR, DPT, Heb B) will similarly not suffice.  A verified record of previous titers will be acceptable, however.  If the titers are not available, serum titers must be obtained.  If titers show insufficient immunity, re-vaccination will/might be necessary, according to CDC guidelines.

  • Tuberculosis

    • As there is no vaccine against tuberculosis, all students will receive either a PPD (Mantoux) or QuantiFERON test as part of their physical exam. If the test is positive, or if previous prophylaxis or treatment for tuberculosis has occurred, a chest X-Ray will be required. Students who had a negative PPD or QuantiFERON test in the past, and who subsequently test positive will be required to undergo prophylactic treatment, even if their chest x-ray is negative.

  • Influenza vaccination

    • Influenza vaccine is now a mandatory part of the health clearance, consistent with NYC department of Health criteria.  Anyone possessing a Harlem Hospital identification badge will not be allowed access to the hospital without a sticker verifying receipt of the flu vaccine.  To that end, all PA students must provide documentation of annual influenza vaccination by December 31st. Similarly, clinical year students will not be able to attend clinical rotations until vaccination has been documented.  Some sites are also requiring proof of COVID 19 vaccination, this will be updated as needed.

  • COVID vaccination policy/guidelines are as per Health and Hospital Corporation (HHC)/New York City and New York State regulations and will be updated as guidelines/policies change. All students must adhere to the institution’s policies and guidelines.

Onboarding/Credentialing

There are required documents needed for the credentialing process. Some of the documents needed are included below:

  (Please note: Documentation will vary per rotation site)

  • Student rotation form

  • Volunteer application form

  • Volunteer/Unpaid student intern application

  • Code of conduct

  • Terms and condition form

  • LDDS form (child registry)

  • ACLS/BLS

  • Infection control certificate

  • PeopleSoft trainings

  • Good standing letters

  • Medical clearance

These documents must be completed and submitted in a timely fashion normally 3 to 4 weeks prior to the start of the rotation.  Documents submitted late can/may result in the delay of your rotation.

If there is an issue or delay with sending documentation to a site you must inform the Clinical Sites Manager and Clinical Coordinators at once. It is the responsibility of the student to make the Clinical Sites Manager and Clinical Coordinators aware of any matters.

Medical Records

Some rotations will allow students access to the electronic medical record and some will not. When a student can enter data, the preceptor must countersign all entries, as all medical records are legal documents. Only Joint Commission approved abbreviations can be used. For more information, please see: http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/dnu_list.pdf 

If access to the EMR is not available, hand-written notes should be submitted to the preceptor. Type or write legibly and use only black ink. Errors must have a single line drawn through them and must be initialed.  Never erase, white out, or cross out as to make the entry illegible.  These notes should be signed, with the: Name, “PA Student” clearly printed below the signature.  All notes must be dated.

Pregnancy

Should a student become pregnant in the course of their studies, she should notify one of the Clinical Coordinators as soon as possible so that working in potentially hazardous environments could be avoided. The student should also inform the clinical preceptor of any special needs that might arise.