Students are required to have successfully completed immunizations or immunization series, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prior to matriculation into the College of Pharmacy. The following immunizations are required of all students, except in those with documented contraindications (e.g., allergy):
List of Immunizations
Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus (Tdap)– please note that the pertussis component was not approved for adults until 2005. Also, this immunization is good for a maximum of ten years. If it has been at least ten years since a previous booster (either Tdap or Diphtheria/Tetanus [Td]), a booster must be obtained. If a booster is due, the student must get a Tdap, unless Tdap has previously been administered. Also, if the student did not complete the primary series for children, they must have a three immunization series with the Tdap for one of the series and diphtheria-tetanus for the other two.
Hepatitis B, recombinant series (note, this consists of a minimum three injection series over at least six months), followed 6-8 weeks later by a blood antibody titer. Please note, if the titer is negative, according to CDC recommendations, the entire series and titer must be repeated. This should start immediately and students will automatically receive the necessary extension of the deadline of this requirement, provided they continue to pursue it as scheduled. If this extension is beyond the beginning of the P3 year, it may be necessary to change experiential sites. Also, students who have a negative titer after a second series may have their experiential sites adjusted to help protect them, but students must be aware that if they have negative titers they may be susceptible to the disease and are responsible for taking personal safety precautions.
Influenza – must receive seasonal influenza vaccine each year in Fall semester. Please note: documentation of this must be provided to the Cosiano Health Center by November 15th of each year.
Measles (except in those individuals born before 1957) – Must have two doses after their first birthday. The second dose must have been received after December 31, 1979.
Mumps (except in those individuals born before 1957).
Polio – The student will have received the normal four doses of poliovirus vaccine at 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, and 4-6 years, which is adequate, or unvaccinated individuals must receive a three-dose series of inactivated poliovirus vaccine with the second dose administered 4-8 weeks after the first dose and the third dose administered 6-12 months after the second dose.
Rubella (except in those individuals born before 1957) – Immunization must have occurred after the student was 15 months of age.
Varicella – Requires documentation of two doses, at least 4 weeks apart.
Other Information
In the cases of each of these, exceptions are allowed for physician-diagnosed illness, with a record including month and year (except rubella) or a report of an immune titer sufficient to provide immunity. Immunizations may be delayed due to pregnancy.
In some cases, additional immunizations may be required for specific experiential sites (e.g., hepatitis A, smallpox, anthrax, malaria, meningococcal).
It is necessary for you to obtain information regarding the immunizations you currently have received. If you do not already have some of this information, your parents/guardian may have some information that may be of help. However, you need to get the official information from a physician, hospital, medical clinic or other healthcare facilities. Your health care provider (not you) should record the information on the form approved by the Cosiano Health Center (available through the College of Pharmacy) and submit it with the official documentation to the Cosiano Health Center. They will be collating the data and letting us know what students have not met the requirements.
Students not meeting immunization requirements are not eligible for progression to the P3 year without approval of the Student Affairs Committee. Deadlines are automatically extended by an appropriate length of time for transfer students admitted with insufficient time to complete these requirements prior to the P3 year, but this is overseen by the Assistant/Associate Dean of Internal Affairs, or his/her designee, who must be shown progress in this area. Also, it may be necessary to change experiential sites, depending on the site immunization requirements until immunizations are completed.
If you find that you need to have some immunizations, the Cosiano Health Center can provide them, which may result in substantial savings to the student. Also, please realize that you may be able to get immunizations for little or no cost through your physician (i.e., paid for by your insurance) or possibly health departments where you live. You certainly should investigate what will be best for you.