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Policy on Immunization and Screening in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program

● Owner: School of Medicine

● Approver: UGME Program Council

● Approval Date: 2023

1. PURPOSE

Immunization and screening to prevent disease acquisition and transmission are necessary to protect the health of patients, families, health care providers and learners working within organizations and communities. These actions protect patients, especially the many medically vulnerable people, whom the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) School of Medicine seeks to serve in health care and community service.  

The School’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) program incorporates experiential learning working with medically vulnerable populations, patients and families in clinical and community affiliates. To achieve outcome objectives for graduation, all students in the program must be fully compliant with immunization requirements to meet standards of patient care for health providers in Ontario hospitals, long term care, community care organizations and community clinics.

This policy sets out the requirements surrounding immunization, screening, and blood-borne pathogens for students in the MD program.

2. DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:

Affiliate: A healthcare provider organization, clinic or community learning site which, by a signed agreement, participates in the learning and assessment of students in the MD program.

Immunization: The process of being made immune or resistant to a communicable disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine made for its purpose.

LAU: The School of Medicine Learner Affairs Unit.

Phase: One of three distinct time periods in the four-year UGME curriculum: Phase 1 (Foundations Phase), September Year 1 through March Year 2; Phase 2 (Clinical and Community Immersion Phase), April Year 2 through August Year 3; and Phase 3 (Professionalization Phase), September Year 3 through April Year 4.

Screening: Checking for disease when there are no symptoms.

Student: A person registered in the MD program, or a visiting medical student from another program who is expected to participate in clinical activities.

Vaccine: Suspension of live or inactivated microorganisms, fractions of the agent, or genetic material administered to induce immunity and prevent communicable disease.

3. POLICY

a) The Immunization and Screening standard applicable to the MD program is the most recent immunization and screening policy approved by the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee of the Council of Ontario Faculties of Medicine (COFM). In addition, students must meet the Immunization and/or screening requirements of the School’s relevant Affiliates, the Ontario Hospital Association Communicable Diseases Protocols, (external link)  and the recommendations of the UE: COFM Blood Borne Virus Policy (April 2022) (external link)  and the  (PDF file) COFM Immunization and Screening Policy (external link)  2022.

b) The requirements for immunization may change suddenly in the event of a declared public health emergency or outbreak/pandemic. Students may be subject to additional requirements in accordance with applicable law, to address public health conditions, and the advice, recommendations, and requirements established by public health authorities, regulatory/professional bodies, and municipal, provincial, and federal levels of governments. The School of Medicine will inform students of any additional Immunization and Screening requirements as required.

c) Beginning with acceptance to the MD program, all students are required to annually submit to the School of Medicine LAU evidence of current compliance with the Immunization and Screening requirements by the date(s) and in the manner and form prescribed by the LAU. Specifically, Year 1 students must submit all vaccination information prior to the start of Phase 1, with the exception of Influenza and any other vaccine that has a specific seasonal time frame. Similarly, students must ensure their immunizations are updated as needed before the start of Phase 2 and Phase 3 learning to continue in clinical settings.

d) Non-compliance with these requirements may lead to a student being delayed from initiating or continuing clinical activities or training and might result in a student not being able to participate in, progress through or graduate from the MD program until they have submitted appropriate documentation to the LAU. Non-compliance could also potentially result in dismissal from the program. 

6. PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

a) To the extent permitted by this policy and the processes of the University, the student’s privacy will be respected, protected, and maintained.

b) All documentation received regarding immunization and screening will be collected, securely maintained and disposed of in accordance with the University’s records management, records retention schedule, privacy and information classification policies, procedures and standards.

c) All communication by the MD program to students on this policy will be via email to the student’s TMU e-mail account using the University’s server.