Post-Acceptance Requirements

Once accepted into our program, take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. We offer our warm congratulations and look forward to having you in our program.

All accepted students must submit the following supplemental documents prior to matriculation into the Physician Assistant Program.

For applicants admitted through the PA Fast Track and PA Transfer Admission Pathways, the schedule for submitting the documents may vary due to different chosen matriculation dates. Specific instructions and timelines will be outlined in each individual’s letter of acceptance.

• Technical Standards Form
• Immunization History Form
• Tuberculosis Screening (included on the immunization form)
• Health Information Release Form
• Health Insurance Documentation
• Certified Background Check
• Transcripts (if not submitted through CASPA)

 

Technical Standards

All students must meet the minimum technical standards necessary to achieve the knowledge, skills, and competencies required of an entry-level physician assistant. All candidates who are offered a seat in the program will be required to sign a statement attesting to their ability to meet these technical standards. 

Immunication & TB Testing Information

Below you will find a list of required immunizations and information regarding tuberculosis (TB) testing. If you cannot have a particular series of a vaccine completed prior to the start of the program, let us know. We can work with you. The vaccines are linked to the CDC website should you like additional information.

 

DOCUMENTATION:

You will need to send us a copy of your COVID-19 card. Documentation for the remainder of the vaccines should be submitted on an official letterhead form from either a drugstore, the Department of Health, a lab, or a medical office. You can inquire as to if other forms of documentation can be accepted.

CHILDHOOD VACCINES:

If you do not have a copy of your childhood vaccines, the titers can confirm immunity and you do not need to get vaccinated for that disease. A copy of your childhood immunization record does not need a current signature from a physician, NP, or PA.

TITERS:

Official lab reports should be submitted for titers and include the results and the reference range on the reports. Titers should be QUANTITATIVE (includes a number and a reference range), NOT qualitative. Titers should be IgG titers, NOT IgM titers. Be careful, as there is also a Hepatitis B antigen titer, which will NOT be accepted.

PROOF OF IMMUNIZATION OR IMMUNITY:

1. COVID-19 vaccine(will need a copy of your card)
   • Original vaccine date
   • Updated (2023-24 vaccine) date
2. Chickenpox vaccine
   • 2 vaccine dates
   • Varicella IgG antibody QUANTITATIVE titer
3. Flu vaccine
   • The most recent influenza vaccine date
   • This is required every fall
4. Hepatitis B vaccine
   • 3 vaccine dates
   • QUANTITATIVE hepatitis B surface antibody IgG (Hbs AB IgG) titer
5. Meningococcal vaccine
   • Original vaccine date
   • Booster vaccine date
6. MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine
   • Vaccine dates
   • MMR IgG QUANTITATIVE titer
7. Tdap vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis-aka whooping cough)
   • Last vaccine date
   • If Tdap vaccine not received within the past 10 years, one will be needed prior to matriculation
8. Polio childhood vaccine
   • Type of vaccine (IPV (shot) OR OPV (oral))
   • 3 initial series vaccine dates (2M, 4M, 6-18M)
   • Booster date between the ages of 4-6
9. Per the CDC, the Hepatitis A vaccine is not routinely recommended for health-care personnel, because health-care-associated transmission of hepatitis A virus is rare in the United States; however, clinical sites may require vaccination for Hepatitis A prior to the start of rotations. If this is the case, a titer validating current immunity and/or a 2-dose vaccine series administered on schedule will be required.

 

TB TESTING:

 

You have two options. Check to see which option is more affordable based on insurance coverage and/or more readily available. You DO NOT need to get both the Two-Step TST and the IGRA Blood Test. Get one or the other. If you have had the BCG vaccine, you should have the IGRA Blood Test done, as the TST Skin Test may show a false positive.

1. 1. Two-Step TB Skin Test: Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) – The Two-Step TB Skin Test is required because people with latent TB infection have a negative reaction when tested years after being infected. The first TST may stimulate or boost a reaction to the second TST.
      • For both steps, the report should include:
        • Test date
        • Result
        • Date results were read
        • Who read the results

 

1. 1. 2. TB Blood Test (only one required):interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) – either the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) or the T-SPOT®.TB test (T-Spot)
         1. The report should include:
            1. Test name
            2. Test date
            3. Whether the result was negative or positive

Additional information on TB screening and testing of health care personnel can be found here.

NOTES:

 

1. If a titer is negative or the TB testing is positive, follow CDC guidelines for next steps.
2. If you are not fully vaccinated, you will need to work with your provider, a clinic, or the Department of Health to become fully vaccinated.
3. If your flu vaccine, Covid-19 vaccine, or TB testing is not acceptable or outdated, these will need to be updated.
4. Not being up-to-date on your immunizations can result in a delay in starting clinical rotations and a delay in graduating with your cohort.
5. You may need other vaccines, too. Healthcare workers should make sure they are up-to-date on any other vaccines routinely recommended for them based on age or other factors. Talk with your doctor to learn which vaccines are recommended for you. These may include:
   • HPV vaccine(human papillomavirus) – recommended for adults ages 18 through 26 years and adults ages 27 through 45 years based on shared clinical decision-making
   • Shingles vaccine(zoster) – recommended for all adults 50 years of age and older
   • Take a short quiz and get a list of vaccinesyou may need based on your lifestyle, travel habits, and other factors.

 

The CDC last reviewed its website information on August 14, 2023.

Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

Health Information Release

Each clinical site to which students are assigned for their supervised clinical practice experiences requires a copy of the student’s immunization history and tuberculosis screening results. In order to facilitate provision of this information, the Physician Assistant Program requires admitted applicants to provide a health information release that authorizes the program to:

• Maintain a copy of this information in their program student record,

AND

• Release copies of this information to the clinical sites to which students are assigned for training.

 

Health Insurance

Students are required to maintain personal health insurance throughout their enrollment in the Physician Assistant Program. Proof of insurance must be provided prior to matriculation. Students will be responsible for any personal health care costs incurred while enrolled in the program which could include but is not limited to: illness, immunizations, PPD testing, health evaluation required after possible exposure to communicable disease, or other accidental injuries sustained during program mandated training activities.

Certified Background Check

Prior to matriculation, all students who are admitted to the program will be required to have a certified background check through https://portal.castlebranch.com/UD59. Admittance to the PA Program is contingent upon a successful background check. A background check revealing information that would prohibit a student from participating in clinical rotations or prevent licensure will make him/her ineligible for the program and will thus result in dismissal from the program.

Drug Screening

Students enrolled in the UC PA Program are subject to random drug screenings at any point during the PA program. Failure to perform or successfully pass a drug screen will render the student ineligible for clinical rotations and will thus result in dismissal from the program.

Other Requirements

• Official transcripts of all course work including any courses that may have been completed since their program application was submitted.
• Evidence of compliance with any other conditions noted in the applicant’s conditional letter of acceptance.