RUL 11.46.01 – Rule Requiring Standard Immunizations for Non-NCSU Students Visiting the College of Veterinary Medicine

Authority: Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine

History: First Issued: September 25, 2007. Effective Date: January 1, 2008.

Additional References:
N.C. General Statute 130A-155.1 on required immunizations for students attending universities

Contact Info: Director of Student Health Services (SHS) (919-513-3285)
College of Veterinary Medicine Associate Dean and Director of Academic Affairs (919-513-6212)

1. Introduction

State law requires immunization for students registered for more than 4 credit hours. There are also potential health risks to the campus population from visitors from other colleges. The College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) routinely accepts visiting students for clinical externships, which are rotations within the veterinary teaching hospital. The CVM also has contracts with select other veterinary colleges to provide clinical experiences for their students. While these visitors are not registered students and do not receive credit from, North Carolina State University (NC State), they receive credit from their home institution. They can have prolonged contact with the NC State population, and therefore, from a public health perspective, should meet similar immunization requirements. Credit hour allocations for clinical rotations for CVM students are typically one-week experience for one academic credit, thus four weeks would typically result in four academic credits.

2. Definitions

Externships: Clinical rotations provided to visitors who are not registered students of North Carolina State University.

Contract students: Students from other universities with which the CVM has contracts to provide clinical experience.

3. Immunization Requirements

3.1 Visiting students who are here for 4 weeks or less will normally not be screened regarding past immunizations.

3.2 Any visiting student who will be at the College of Veterinary Medicine for more than 4 weeks will be required to provide proof of immunizations similar to that required for any other NC State CVM student. In addition to those immunizations required for other students, this includes vaccination against rabies. The last vaccination against rabies must have occurred within the last three years or the visiting student must have proof of a protective titer.

3.2.1 The visiting students who will be at NC State for more than four weeks will complete the same Health History and Immunization Documentation Form used for NC State students.

3.2.2 Forms must be completed by the visiting students and returned to the CVM Student Services office prior to the students’ arrival at NC State.

3.2.3 The CVM Student Services office will mark the immunization forms as coming from CVM visiting students and will send them for screening to Student Health Services, Immunizations Coordinator, Box 7304, Campus.

3.2.4 Student Health Services (SHS) staff will notify the student and CVM Student Service office of any deficiencies in the forms. Any deficiencies in immunizations must be corrected by the visiting student either through private clinics or immunization by SHS, and a record of compliance must be provided to the SHS Immunizations Office.

3.2.5. The CVM will enforce this rule.

3.2.6 Screened immunization forms with evidence of compliance will be returned to and kept on file by the CVM.