MCPHS University Immunization Policy (For Students Attending MCPHS University for the First Time after May 1, 2014) MCPHS University partners with CertifiedProfile to ensure that students are immunization compliant before the start of classes. Follow the instructions below to create your CertifiedProfile account and begin the immunization process. To Create Your Profile: Go to: www.certifiedbackground.com and enter package code previously supplied to you in an email from MCPHS University Admissions.You will then be directed to set up your CertifiedProfile account. Please do not share your package code; it is program-specific to you. Gather required personal information. In addition to entering your full name and date of birth, you will be asked for your MCPHS student ID number, current address, cell phone number and email address. Your seven-digit student ID number is: STUDENT_ID Payment Information: At the end of the online order process, you will be prompted to enter your Visa or MasterCard information to pay the one-time $25 order registration fee. Money orders are also accepted but will result in an additional $10 fee and an additional turn-around-time. Once you have successfully created your profile, you will be prompted to upload specific documents required by your school for immunization records. Document trackers provide secure online storage for all of your important documents. Your immunization information (which you upload) will be posted directly to your CertifiedProfile account. You will be notified by CertifiedProfile if there is any missing information needed in order to process your order. Your order or immunization account will show as In Process until it is completed in its entirety. Authorized MCPHS officials can also securely view your results on-line, with a unique username and password, to monitor student immunization compliance. If you have any questions regarding your immunization requirements, requirement status, rejections or renewals, please contact the CP Service Desk at studentservices@certifiedprofile.com or 888.914.7279. Student Support Representatives will be available: Monday Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST; Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST; Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. EST.
Frequently Asked Questions 1. Where can I find MCPHS University s immunization policy? For your convenience, MCPHS University s immunization policy is set forth at the end of these Frequently Asked Questions. 2. Who do I call if I have questions about the immunization policy? Please read both the immunization policy set forth below and these questions and answers carefully. All your questions should be answered after reading both the policy and these questions and answers. 3. Why do I have to get these immunizations and report them to MCPHS University? State law and MCPHS University policy require that you and all students receive certain vaccinations in order to protect the health and safety of others with whom you and they will come in contact. You must report your immunizations because MCPHS University is required to verify compliance with its immunization policy. 4. Where do I go to receive my immunizations? It is probably easiest for you to see your personal health care provider in order to receive your immunizations. If you are unable to do this, many hospitals, clinics and pharmacies provide immunizations. It is up to you to identify a heath care provider or facility which provides the required immunizations. 5. Why do I have to be compliant with the immunization policy by the first day of the semester? MCPHS University must monitor the immunization compliance of almost 7,000 students and has decided for administrative reasons that the deadline for compliance is the first day of classes. If you are not compliant on the first day of the semester, you risk being administratively withdrawn from the University. 6. What do I do if I am unable for some reason to complete my immunization requirements before the first day of the semester? You should make every effort to obtain your immunizations before the start of the semester. It has been our experience that seeing your health care provider prior to the start of school is the easiest way for you to get your required vaccinations. If you are not in compliance on the first day of the semester, you risk being administratively withdrawn from the University. However, if you are unable to obtain your immunizations prior to the start of the semester, you should arrange to obtain your vaccinations as soon as you arrive at school. Again, it is up to you to identify a place where you can obtain your vaccinations. Many hospitals, clinics and pharmacies provide immunizations. Again, non compliant students risk being administratively withdrawn from the University. (See immunization referral sites at the end of these FAQ s.) 7. Do I have to get a flu shot? Not all students are required to get a flu shot. Please read the MCPHS University immunization policy (a copy of which is set forth at the end of these questions and answers) carefully to determine if you are in a program that requires it. However, MCPHS University encourages all its students to obtain a flu shot as soon as they become available. There are many widely
advertised opportunities to receive the flu vaccine when that vaccine becomes available each fall. 8. What do I do if I can t get a flu shot before the first day of the semester? If you have a requirement for an annual influenza vaccination, you must receive a flu shot annually during the flu season as soon as the vaccine becomes available in the fall. You must also document this annually in your CertifiedProfile account by submitting the written confirmation that you will receive when you get your flu shot. You will not be penalized on the first day of classes if you have not yet gotten a flu shot if the flu vaccine is not yet available. There are many widely advertised opportunities to receive the flu vaccine when that vaccine becomes available in the fall. 9. What if I haven t completed my Hepatitis B immunization series by the first day of the semester? If you have not completed your Hepatitis B immunization series by the first day of the semester, you will not be penalized. However, you must have begun the Hepatitis B immunization series, submitted evidence of such to CertifiedProfile, and be diligently pursuing completion of the series and the required reporting to CertifiedProfile. 10. How do I report my immunizations to MCPHS University? MCPHS University utilizes an online document management system operated by CertifiedProfile, which works with schools nationwide, to track student immunization compliance. Beginning with the 2013 summer semester, every student attending MCPHS University for the first time must establish and maintain a password protected account with CertifiedProfile regarding his or her immunization compliance. 11. How do I establish my password protected account with CertifiedProfile in order to report my immunizations? The MCPHS University Admission Office will send an email to either your personal email address or to your my.mcphs.edu email address regarding how to set up your CertifiedProfile account and how to upload your immunization documents. You will receive a specific package code for your particular MCPHS University academic program, e.g., nursing, physical therapy, etc. Once you enter your package code into the CertifiedProfile program and establish your account, you will have access to a description of all of your immunization requirements as well as the steps to deliver the required documentation to CertifiedProfile. 12. What do I do if I cannot receive a required MCPHS University immunization because of a medical reason? If you have a medical reason why you cannot receive a specific immunization, have your health care provider write a letter (on official letterhead with a signature) explaining the reason/s you are unable to receive the required vaccination/s and send such letter to CertifiedProfile by one of the permitted methods. CertifiedProfile will post a notification in your account as to whether or not the letter you submitted is sufficient to waive compliance for medical reasons. The review of medical waiver letters might take up to three days to be processed. 13. Why do I have to pay $25 to CertifiedProfile to establish my immunization account? This is the one time fee which MCPHS University negotiated with CertifiedProfile to maintain each student s account. Your account will remain available to you with online access both during and after your tenure as a student at MCPHS University.
14. What do I do if I don t receive an email from the MCPHS University Admission Office telling me how to set up my CertifiedProfile account? Please be sure to check your personal and MCPHS University email accounts carefully for this information. If you have not received an email from the MCPHS University Admission Office regarding CertifiedProfile within two (2) weeks after your having sent in your deposit to MCPHS University, then please contact the Admission Office at 617.879.5964. Please do not call unless and until you have checked both your personal and MCPHS University email inboxes for this information. 15. What do I do if I don t know the package code required to set up my CertifiedProfile account? Please check your personal and MCPHS University email inboxes carefully for an email from the MCPHS University Admission Office for this information. After doing so, and if at least two (2) weeks have passed since you sent your deposit to MCPHS University, please contact the MCPHS University Admission Office at 617.879.5964. 16. What do I do if my package code for CertifiedProfile doesn t work or if I can t log onto Certified Profile? To receive assistance if you are unable to log onto CertifiedProfile or if your package code does not work, please contact the CertifiedProfile Service Desk at 888.914.7279 or studentservices@certifiedprofile.com. Student Support Representatives will be available: Monday Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. EST. You can also go to the CertifiedProfile.com home page during these times, click on Contact Us, click on the student tab and Live Chat to chat online with a Certified Profile representative. 17. What do I do if I am unclear about how to upload my documents to CertifiedProfile? To receive assistance for uploading documents to your account, please contact the CertifiedProfile Service Desk at 888.914.7279 or studentservices@certifiedprofile.com. Student Support Representatives will be available: Monday Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. EST. You can also go to the CertifiedProfile.com home page during these times, click on Contact Us, click on the student tab and Live Chat to chat online with a Certified Profile representative. 18. Do I have to use CertifiedProfile to report my immunization records to MCPHS University? Can I send my immunization records directly to MCPHS University? Do not mail, fax, email or otherwise deliver your immunization records to MCPHS University. MCPHS University will not transfer them to CertifiedProfile. In order to be in compliance, you must create an account with CertifiedProfile and submit your immunization records directly to CertifiedProfile. 19. Can I obtain a waiver for the required immunizations? You may waive the meningococcal vaccination in accordance with the meningococcal waiver guidelines by completing the meningococcal waiver form, both of which you can find when you sign on to CertifiedProfile and check under the meningococcal vaccine section. If you have a medical reason why you cannot receive a specific immunization, have your health provider write a letter (on official letterhead with a signature) explaining the reason/s you are unable to receive the required vaccination/s and send such letter to CertifiedProfile by one of the permitted methods. CertifiedProfile will post a notification in your account as to whether or
not the letter you submitted is sufficient to waive compliance for medical reasons. The review of medical waiver letters might take up to three days to be processed. Immunizations may be waived for religious reasons if you submit to CertifiedProfile a statement in writing that such immunization is against your sincere religious belief. Please note that MCPHS University does not control the immunization requirements of clinical sites and has attempted to incorporate in its immunization policy the requirements of most of its clinical sites. However, students must comply with the requirements of the clinical sites which they visit. 20. Are my files at CertifiedProfile secure? Specific information about the security measures in place on the CertifiedProfile website is available at https://www.certifiedprofile.com/privacy. 21. Do the immunization records I submit to CertifiedProfile have to be in English? Yes. All immunization records submitted to CertifiedProfile must be in English. Students are responsible for having their immunization records translated into English prior to submitting them to CertifiedProfile. Immunizations records submitted in a language other than English will not be considered by CertifiedProfile for compliance. One resource for seeking assistance with such translations is http://www.wes.org. 22. Who will have access to my password protected account? You will have access, along with professionals at CertifiedProfile who review the information you submit in order to ascertain if what you have submitted is adequate evidence of compliance, and authorized officials at MCPHS University who are required to monitor compliance. 23. For how long after I leave MCPHS University will my online access to my CertifiedProfile immunization records be available? After leaving MCPHS University, you will be able to maintain access to your Certified Profile account indefinitely. 24. If I were admitted to MCPHS University in the weeks just before the start of the semester and did not have time to obtain my immunization before arriving at school, will I be penalized? You should make every effort to obtain your immunizations before the start of the semester. It has been our experience that it is easiest for students to obtain their immunizations from their own health care provider before arriving at school. However, if you were admitted shortly before the beginning of the semester and just sent in your deposit and did not have sufficient time to get your immunizations before the start of the semester, you should make arrangements to obtain your vaccinations as soon as possible after the beginning of the semester. It is up to you to identify a place where you can obtain your vaccinations. Many hospitals, clinics and pharmacies provide immunizations. If you do not obtain your required immunizations within two weeks of the beginning of the semester, you risk being administratively withdrawn from the University. (See immunization referral sites at the end of these FAQ s.)
25. I submitted proof of my flu shot from last year but CertifiedProfile rejected it. Why? Each year the flu shot is specifically formulated in anticipation of the influenza virus types and subtypes predicted to be prevalent during a particular flu season. Therefore, if your program requires a flu vaccine, you must get the new flu vaccine each year when it becomes available sometime in the fall. 26. I submitted proof of vaccinations to CertifiedProfile and it was rejected. Why? If one of your submissions has been rejected, CertifiedProfile will have provided you with an explanation of why it was rejected in either an email to you or you may sign onto the CertifiedProfile site and check your vaccination compliance status for an explanation of the rejection. For example, perhaps you submitted the sheet providing the dates of all your required vaccinations but your primary care provider did not sign it at the bottom. There are many reasons why submitted proof of vaccination might be rejected. Check your CertifiedProfile account and/or your emails from CertifiedProfile to learn why your submission was rejected. 27. Some of the immunization requirements state that laboratory evidence of immunity will be accepted of is required. What is laboratory evidence of immunity? What is a titer? Laboratory evidence of Immunity requires your obtaining and submitting to CertifiedBackground a titer (or titre ), which is a way of expressing the strength or concentration of a substance in a solution. Testing titers are done through a blood test that can identify the presence of antibodies induced by vaccinations, becoming ill and recovering from the infection, having been exposed to the infection, or a combination of the above. If the levels are satisfactory, the person is considered to have protective antibody and is considered to be sufficiently immune to the disease. Titer tests do not distinguish between antibodies generated by vaccination and those generated by natural exposure to disease agents through infection. Most conventional medical personnel agree that when an adequate antibody titer is present, the person is considered immune.
BOSTON IMMUNIZATION REFERRAL SITES Local pharmacies offer immunizations. Call or walk into a pharmacy and speak with the pharmacist about receiving immunizations needed to meet the MCPHS University requirements. To search for pharmacy locations offering vacations, please visit http://vaccine.healthmap.org. Below are local pharmacies near our Boston campus. CVS/pharmacy Symphony 231 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 266 6775 CVS/pharmacy Longwood Galleria 350 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115 (617) 731 5753 CVS/pharmacy Fenway 1249 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02115 (617) 262 1354 CVS/pharmacy Back Bay/Prudential 240 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116 (617) 236 4007 HVMA Student Health Services 578 Huntington Ave. 2 nd Floor Boston, MA 02115 (617) 879 5220 CVS/pharmacy Copley Open 24 hours 587 Boylston St Boston, MA 02116 (617) 437 8414 CVS/pharmacy Porter Square Minute Clinic 36 White St Cambridge, MA 02140 (617) 876 5519 Rite Aid #10175 1295 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02215 (617) 262 5770 Walgreens 841 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116 2601 (617) 236 1692 Boston Walk in Clinic Same Day Appointments Available www.onemedical.com/walk in Convenient Location in Government Center 28 State Street, Suite 2860, Boston, MA (617) 903 5000
Manchester IMMUNIZATION REFERRAL SITES Catholic Medical Center Urgent Care 100 McGregor St Manchester (603) 668 3545 Concentra Urgent Care 1279 S Willow St Manchester (603) 644 3330 The Elliott at River s Edge 185 Queen City Ave, Manchester (603) 663 3000 Dartmouth Hitchcock 100 Hitchcock Way, Manchester (603) 695 2500 Department of Public Health 1528 Elm St # 1, Manchester, NH 03101 (603) 624 6466 Worcester IMMUNIZATION REFERRAL SITES Walgreen s Pharmacy 472 Lincoln Street Worcester, MA 01605 508.856.7923 Walgreen s Pharmacy 320 Park Ave Worcester, MA 01610 508.767.1732 Visit www.walgreens.com for more location options. All immunizations available Most insurances are accepted Check, cash, or credit cards accepted Ready MED Clinic 222 Boston Turnpike (Route 9 East) Shrewsbury, MA 01545 508. 831.4080 Visit www.readymed.org for more information. Only TB & Tdap immunizations available. Most insurance plans are accepted, call clinic or visit website for more information Personal checks are not accepted