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 Return to: College of Osteopathic Medicine
Health Insurance
All KCU students are required to maintain personal health insurance. A student who cannot provide documentation of current personal health insurance coverage, in accordance with University requirements, will not be allowed to begin or continue with clinical training. See the Health Insurance Policy for details
Vaccinations and Immunizations
An up-to-date immunization record is required before beginning clinical training in the third and fourth years.
HIV/HBV
In attempt to protects students and employees from avoidable exposure to communicable disease, KCU to complies with the federal Rehabilitation Act and all other state and federal statutes.
HIV/HBV Procedures
Students must advise the vice provost, Student Services if they are HIV and/or Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive;
The University will adhere to the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These recommendations are:
- All students should adhere to universal precautions, including the appropriate use of hand washing, protective barriers and care in the use and disposal of needles and other sharp instruments. Students who have exudative lesions or weeping dermatitis should refrain from all direct patient care and from handling patient care equipment and devices used in performing invasive procedures until the condition resolves. Students should also comply with current guidelines for disinfection and sterilization of reusable devices used in invasive procedures. To facilitate the use of universal precautions, the University will provide training in this area to its students.
- Currently available data provide no basis for recommendation to restrict the practice of students infected with HIV or HBV who perform invasive procedures not identified as exposure-prone, provided the infected students practice recommended surgical or dental techniques and comply with universal precautions and current recommendations for sterilization and disinfection.
- Students who perform exposure-prone procedures should know their HIV and HBV antibody status. Students who perform exposure-prone procedures and who do not have serologic evidence of immunity to HBV from vaccination or from previous infection should know their HBsAg status and, if positive, should also know their HBeAg status. To facilitate this, the University will provide names and locations of facilities in Kansas City where anonymous testing can be done at the student’s expense. KCU encourages all students to be tested periodically.
- Students who are infected with HIV or HBV (and are HBeAg positive) should not perform exposure-prone procedures unless they have sought counsel from an expert review panel and have been advised under what circumstances, if any, they may continue to perform these procedures. Such circumstances would include notifying prospective contacts of the student’s seropositivity before they undergo or participate in exposure-prone invasive procedures.
- The confidentiality of the infected student will be protected by KCU and the student’s supervisor to the extent that such confidentiality does not unnecessarily expose others to either HIV or HBV.
- Contraction of HIV or HBV shall not constitute grounds for termination of employment, dismissal from school or other punitive actions.
- Changes in work stations, reassignment of responsibilities and other measures may be taken in an effort to protect the infected employee or student, as well as uninfected coworkers and patients. The program of academic study may be modified for the infected student to permit those educational experiences that do not unnecessarily expose patients or other students to HIV or HBV. Decisions regarding such modifications will be made by a review panel in consultation with the student. The review panel may forward recommendations for significant modification of the academic program to the COM-SPC. The student’s name will not be disclosed to the members of COM-SPC. COM-SPC may consider whether the proposed significant modifications will permit the student to fulfill the academic requirements of the University;
- After all reasonable accommodations have been made (including adjustments in work, location and reassignment of duties and responsibilities, or modification of academic program), any student who is incapable or ineligible to perform his/her responsibilities may be subject to termination of employment or dismissal. Similarly, after reasonable modifications of the academic program, infected students who are unable to fulfill the requirements for graduation may be subject to dismissal.
Influenza
KCU students come into contact with vulnerable populations who may be at risk for infectious disease. Therefore, all students are required to be immunized annually for influenza.
KCU Exposure Policy
If a KCU medical student is exposed to bloodborne pathogens either by direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids via the eyes, mucous membranes, human bite, or sharps (e.g., needle stick, lancet stick, scalpel cut), it is to be handled as an emergency situation. Please see further details for managing exposure in the KCU Clerkship Exposure policy within this handbook.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A vaccine is not routinely recommended for students at KCU because Missouri is considered a state that has a low average annual incidence of Hepatitis A. Students who belong to at-risk groups, however, should be vaccinated. This includes those who travel to an endemic area, have identified risk factors and have chronic liver disease.
Background Checks & Drug Screens
Prior to beginning third- and fourth-year clinical clerkships, all KCU students are required to complete a criminal background check and a 15-panel drug screen performed at their own expense.
The background check is to be performed by a certifying organization retained by KCU. The background check is to satisfy federal, state and individual hospital requirements for students participating in clinical activities involving patient care. Any criminal activity occurring prior to or after matriculation must be immediately reported to the vice provost, Student Services.
Unreported information may result in disciplinary action to potentially include dismissal.
Some clerkship sites (core or otherwise) require additional checks and/or drug screens. The student is responsible to initiate those requests and remunerate any related fees.
OMS-III & OMS-IV Immunizations
A student who cannot provide an official up-to-date immunization record, in accordance with University requirements, will not be allowed to begin or continue with clinical training and will be referred to the appropriate University official for disciplinary action.
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