Matriculation Requirements
Applicants who receive letters of acceptance to the Morehouse School of Medicine Physician Assistant program will have 7-10 days to either accept or decline their place in the class. Students accepting their place must submit an Acknowledgement of Acceptance and Confirmation form and a $500 non-refundable deposit due within 7-10 days from receipt of the Letter of Acceptance. (The deposit will be credited toward tuition/fees upon matriculation.) Additional specific requirements needed prior to matriculation are listed below.
Immunizations
All MSM students are required to provide proof of receiving a set of immunizations prior to matriculation or to receive the required immunizations within 30 days of matriculation. Students who have not received required immunizations will be provided those immunizations. The cost of immunizations will be covered by immunization fees (previously the student health service fee).
The following immunizations and health screenings are based on the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for health professionals and must be completed by matriculation.
- Tuberculosis: One of the following completed within the past 12 months is required:
- 2 step TB skin test (administered 1-3 weeks apart)
- QuantiFERON Gold blood test (lab report required)
Immunizations: Students must be current on all required immunizations. Either record of immunization or serologic proof of immunity must be provided for all listed conditions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for health care personnel, to include, but may not be limited to:
- Hepatitis B: BOTH of the following are required:
- 3 vaccinations AND
- A positive antibody titer (lab report required)
If your titer was negative or equivocal, you must repeat the series and provide a 2nd titer.
- Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR): One of the following is required:
- 2 vaccinations: The first vaccination MUST be administered AFTER the age of 1 regardless of vaccination type. Vaccinations can be a combined MMR vaccination, however if individualized vaccinations are submitted you MUST submit 2 vaccinations for Mumps and Measles and 1 vaccination for Rubella OR
- Positive antibody titer (lab report required) for all 3 components.
- If you do not have a blood test that shows you are immune to measles, mumps (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination), get 2 doses of MMR (1 dose now and the 2nd dose at least 28 days later)
- If you do not have a blood test that shows you are immune to rubella, only 1 dose of MMR is recommended.
- Varicella: One of the following is required:
- 2 vaccinations OR
- Positive antibody titer (lab report required) If your titer was negative or equivocal, you must repeat the series.
- Tdap (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis: One of the following is required:
- Documentation of a Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria & Pertussis) vaccination administered within the past 10 years OR
- Documentation of a Tdap vaccination administered from any time AND a Td (Tetanus & Diphtheria) booster administered within the past 10 years. Renewal will be set for 10 years from the most recent vaccination. Upon renewal, a Td booster is required.
- Influenza: Students will be required to obtain influenza immunization annually while enrolled in the program.
- Meningococcal: Individuals (microbiologist) routinely exposed to Neisseria miningitidis should get meningococcal conjugate vaccine and serogroup B meningococcal vaccine.
Other Immunizations: Students may occasionally be involved in patient care activities that require additional immunizations or disease prophylaxis (e.g. international rotations). It is the responsibility of the student to consult with the PD/Clinical Coordinator to determine if any additional precautions are necessary.>
The Institution’s policies regarding immunizations and all infection control policies may be found in the Student Handbook (pg 57).
The Institution’s immunization forms may be found at: http://www.msm.edu/Current_Students/SEHC-IC.php
Physical Examination
The MSM PA program requires a physical examination for all entering students. The physical examination form and instructions will be provided to student upons acceptance to the program.
Background Checks and Drug Screen
The MSM PA program requires a criminal background check and drug screen for all entering students. The background check and drug screening are performed by Certified Background. The background check includes criminal history and previous address information.
Proof of Medical Insurance
All full-time students are required to have health insurance coverage either through the Institution or through another individual or family plan. Students are required to demonstrate proof of coverage with major medical insurance at levels required by the Institution. A student may choose their own personal insurance plan as long as it is comparable in coverage to that offered by the Institution.
Basic Life Support
All entering students are required to have current Basic Life Support certification designed for health care providers. The BLS certification is required to enable you to participate in these clinical practice settings during both the academic and clinical phases of the program. Proof of current certification will be required on or before the first day of summer term. If you have never been BLS certified, you can contact your local chapter of the American Heart Association to inquire about registering for potential classes. You can do this through the AHA website and entering your zip code to contact your local chapter.
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