Immunization Requirements
University Health Service (UHS) welcomes University of Kentucky College of Health Science students to our clinic. These compliance requirements have been established to protect health care providers as well as their patients during clinical encounters. These requirements reflect CDC guidelines and UK HealthCare policies.
If you have a medical contraindication or a religious objection to one or more of the vaccine requirements, please complete the vaccine declination form available in My Chart.
- Select the menu tab in upper left corner.
- Under My Record tab select Questionnaires
- Select UHS Immunization Declination Request form
Please include as much information as possible regarding your inability to be vaccinated. This form will be reviewed by the Medical Director at UHS and your program.
Deadlines for completion of compliance are set by the individual colleges.
The following are required for all students involved in clinical activities:
Immunization Summary Record
*College of Medicine, College of Nursing and College of Health Sciences use a tracking program called Castle Branch to track immunization and TB testing requirements. If you are a student in one of these programs, you need to submit your immunization records and TB testing documentation directly to Castle Branch. Vaccine and TB screening records do NOT need to be submitted to University Health Service for the purposes of compliance. Documentation of services provided at UHS will be available to students in MyChart.
*College of Dentistry, College of Public Health and College of Pharmacy students may upload all immunization records in MyChart. An office visit with one of the student compliance nurses IS required to obtain your compliance letter for these 3 colleges.
Regardless how immunizations/TB testing is tracked for each program, if you need immunizations/titers/TB testing, UHS is available.
Tuberculosis Screening
New Healthcare College Students
All new healthcare college students are required to complete a TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire and either a two-step TB skin test or equivalent blood test known as an IGRA. If you have had a TB test within the last year, please bring a copy of the results with you to your appointment. (Note: College of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and College of Nursing first year students are required to obtain an IGRA rather than a two-step TB skin test). You must complete this questionnaire even if you have a prior positive TB test of any kind, or a TB vaccination.
Returning Healthcare College Students
Your individual college determines TB screening requirements for returning healthcare college students. All students must complete a TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire on an annual basis. If your college also requires a TB test (skin test or IGRA) you may schedule an appointment with the UK University Health Service to have that performed. You must complete a questionnaire annually even if you have a TB test performed.
Documentation of a negative Mantoux TB skin test may be accepted from other institutions but must include (1) date given, (2) date read, (3) reading in millimeters, (4) name of facility and (5) credentials of person administering and reading the test.
If you have a history of known positive TB skin test or IGRA, you must provide the lab report of the positive IGRA or documentation of the positive TB skin test including date of reading, results including number of millimeters of induration AND a chest X-ray report (with 2 views) after the documented positive test. If these records are unavailable, UHS requires a two-step TB skin test or equivalent IGRA. Students with a positive PPD will participate in annual TB screening by answering a TB Symptom Questionnaire (TBQ).
Please note: The TB skin test is fully covered by the Student Health Fee. The IGRA is not covered by the Health Fee but may be billed to insurance or to the patient.
MMR
Proof of immunity to rubella, rubeola and mumps is required. One of the following may be used as documentation:
- Documentation of two MMR vaccines with the first dose at 12 months of age or older.
- Documentation of rubella, rubeola and mumps disease diagnosed by a healthcare professional.
- Documentation of protective rubeola, rubella and mumps titers.
Hepatitis B
Proof of immunity to Hepatitis B is required. A complete vaccine series of Hepatitis B vaccines fulfills this requirement.
There is a three dose series (Engerix B, Recombivax HB, or Twinrix) and a two dose series (Heplisav B) available.
Documentation of a Hepatitis B surface antibody (blood test) ALONE is does not full fill this requirement. Date of each dose of vaccine is the only way to fulfill this requirement.
Varicella
Proof of immunity to varicella by one of the following:
- Documentation of two varicella vaccines with the first dose at 12 months of age or older.
- Documented of varicella or shingles disease diagnosed by a healthcare professional (MD, PA, or APRN).
- Those with history of varicella (chicken pox) or shingles disease without the above mentioned diagnosis documentation, should get a Varicella Zoster antibody (IGg). A positive antibody fulfills the varicella requirement.
- Please NOTE: An X on your immunization record is NOT sufficient evidence of having had the disease.
TDAP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis)
Proof of immunity of Pertussis is fulfilled with documentation of one adult dose of Tdap vaccine. An adult dose is considered to be age 11 or older at the time the vaccine administration.
Note: Td (tetanus/diphtheria) vaccine is NOT the same as a Tdap.
Seasonal influenza
One dose of the seasonal influenza vaccine is required if a student is present in a UK HealthCare facility at least one day during designated influenza season (October 1 – March 31 each year).
If you are new to any of the health science colleges this fall, your first required seasonal influenza vaccine is due during October of your first semester. Each college sets the deadline for the influenza vaccine completion.