Identification and background requirements for entrance into didactic and clinical years
All didactic students must complete the requirements below in order to be eligible for an ID badge to attend classes at Harlem Hospital (HHC) and CCNY. If a student fails to complete these requirements and is therefore ineligible to access Harlem Hospital, the student may be referred to the Committee on Course and Standing for professionalism.
Requirements:
Harlem Hospital Application Packet
Criminal Background Check (conducted by Harlem Hospital)
Physical Examination (including but not limited to toxicology and titers) Complete mandatory trainings
Receive medical clearance from Harlem Hospital
NB: These requirements are set in part by Harlem Hospital and may change. The program will relay any new information or requirements to students.
Harlem Hospital Application Packet
All students must complete an application packet for Harlem Hospital in order to be cleared to receive a hospital ID badge. The program will send students information and the application packet during the summer prior to the beginning of the fall didactic semester.
Criminal Background Checks
Current laws generally permit a state licensing board or agency to deny a license to practice in the applicant has been convicted of a felony or other specified crime. Like many state licensing boards, the Office of 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. For students entering clinical year, the CUNY Med PA Program has arranged an account with Castle Branch where the studentscan have a background check and ‘Chain of Custody’ toxicology-screening document; both of these require a fee that students are responsible for. More details can be found in the clinical handbook.
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 background check during clinical year.
Toxicology Screening
Some clerkship 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 this 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 clerkship 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 a refusal to submit a drug test) the student may be unable to complete course requirements and to continue in the PA 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 OHS (Occupational Health Service) 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 or administrative personnel 4 weeks prior to the rotation start day. In addition, you must 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 the Harlem Hospital Occupational Health Services office (OHS). Medical clearance by OHS must be renewed on or near the anniversary date for each year the student is enrolled in the PA Program.
Immunity from Infectious Disease
·The titers 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.
Vaccinations 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 current annual influenza vaccination by the beginning of the Fall semester. 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
COVID vaccination is now mandatory as part of the health clearance in many hospitals and facilities. Some facilities are requiring proof of negative COVID test as well. Clinical year students will not be able to attend clinical rotations until proof of vaccination has been documented or proof of negative COVID test has been documented.
All of these procedures will need to be repeated as part of the transition to clinical year. Details can be found in the clinical handbook.