Procedures and Guidelines

Immunization and Serology Requirements for Medical Students

Categories: Immunizations faculty Admission Forms UGME

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General information

  • University of Saskatchewan Health Sciences students are required to provide proof of immunizations as part of our Clinical Placement Agreement. The University of Saskatchewan requires that all students attending a Health Science College provide documented proof of immunization.

  • Completion of immunizations is required for Clinical Placements. Students who do not complete recommended immunization(s) must meet with the Associate Dean (or designate), sign a waiver, and may be excluded from some clinical areas and out-of-province electives during clerkship or Pre-Clerkship clinical experiences. Please see the SHA immunization waiverand the Clinical Placement Agreement – Schedule E for more details. For certain vaccinations, exemption from immunization is only allowed for students with approved accommodations through Access and Equity Services.

  • Consent: Immunization records and test results will be shared with the student's college and clinical placements as needed to ensure the safety of the student and their patients. Students are required to sign an immunization consent form to authorize the sharing of this information.

Immunization Instructions for Students Entering Year 1

Important Note - Completion of the immunization requirements is the responsibility of the student as well as any associated costs. Most immunizations are covered by your Provincial Health card.

Step

Description

Suggested Timeline

1

Review the Specific Immunization Requirements (see below). The requirements align with the requirements you will have when you participate in clinical electives through the AFMC Student Portal.

When admitted

2

Locate your childhood and adult immunization records by contacting public health or checking your e-health record. If you do not have proof of your immunization records, you will need to repeat your primary series as required by Public Health guidelines.

For any questions regarding immunization records: nurse.swc@usask.ca

When admitted

3

Submit Immunization Records and Consent Form to Student Wellness Centre. Students are required to submit immunization records and a signed immunization consent form to student.wellness@usask.ca. The documents must be submitted in PDF form.

Within 2 weeks of

admission

Note: You may choose to see your Family Physician to begin and/or complete your immunization review, but you are still required to have an appointment with the Student Wellness Centre to ensure all requirements have been met.

4

Meet with Student Wellness Centre

Student Wellness Centre will contact students to schedule an appointment once your immunization records have been received.

Students will start the process of completing immunology requirements and start the Two Step Tuberculin skin test (TST) at the first visit with the Student Wellness Centre. The TST is completed over 4 visits.

Student Wellness Centre

For appointments or immunization review inquiries: (306) 966-5768

Additional Information for Regina Students:

If you currently reside in Saskatoon (or proximal), you are welcome to reach out to the Student Wellness Centre prior to moving to Regina to start your immunization process.

The Student Wellness Centre team will travel to Regina in the first semester for immunization review and TST/vaccinations as needed.

CPSS (Serology testing) will be ordered prior to this date and requisitions emailed to students to complete.

 

 Deadline NA

5

Submit your completed immunization record by the deadline.

Student Wellness Centre will provide you with a completed immunization record. You must submit your record to the UGME:

October 10, 2025

 6

(Recommended) Submit Influenza and Covid-19 vaccination confirmations to UGME.

November 30, 2025

Immunization Instructions for Students Entering Clerkship

Completion of immunizations is an expectation under the Clinical Placement Agreement between the University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). Any student who is not able to complete recommended and required immunizations, or chooses not to receive those immunizations, should contact the Associate Dean, UGME to discuss, and must complete, sign, and submit the SHA immunization waiver form to the Associate Dean UGME after that discussion.

Please review your course outlines and Clerkship Elective policy for further information.

Step

Description

Suggested Timeline

1

In Year 2, you will be notified in late March by email about retesting your serology requirements (HIV and Hep C).

March

 

2

Review the Elective policy.

 

Upon successful promotion to Year 3

The following steps are only necessary if you anticipate the possibility of participating in electives outside of your province

3

Understand the Requirements for Electives in other Provinces/Medical Schools. Use the AFMC Student Portal to determine what you need for your elective locations.

For out-of-province electives, you must complete the AFMC form with Student Wellness Centre before you are onsite.

Upon successful promotion to Year 3

4

Meet with Student Wellness Centre to complete the serology requirements and to complete, if required, the AFMC form.

Contact Student Wellness Centre to schedule an appointment to complete forms, and if required, also complete the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). 

Be prepared to pay a $30 form fee for the service provided by the Student Wellness Centre.

Before applying for visiting electives.

Regina:

Student Wellness Centre Nursing staff will travel to Regina to complete, if required, the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). During this visit, you will have an immunization review and receive any necessary boosters. If boosters are required and can’t be completed by Student Wellness, students will need to go to either Public Health or Employee Health & Safety in the Regina General Hospital.

5

Email proof of retesting and boosters once available. If you advance to Year 3, you must meet these requirements and report them to the contacts below before orientation to begin your Clerkship rotations.

As soon as available, prior to orientation

6

(Recommended) Submit Influenza and Covid-19 vaccination confirmations to UGME.

November 30, 2025

Specific Immunization and CPSS (Serology) Requirements

Immunization Requirements

  • Hepatitis B: Documentation of a Hepatitis B immunization series is required for all students

  • Measles, mumps, rubella: Documented proof of vaccination with 2 doses of measles, mumps, and rubella.

  • Pertussis: Primary series and Tdap or Tdap – Pertussis booster given at 18 years or older.

  • Polio: Primary series, booster if traveling in endemic areas.

  • Tetanus/Diphtheria (TD): Primary series of 3-5 doses, then a booster every 10 years.

  • Tuberculin Skin Test (TST): A Two Step Tuberculin skin test is required in your first year of study, a follow-up TST may be required depending on medical elective requirements and/or clinical exposure. If there is a history of a positive Tuberculin skin test, a Chest XR is required.

  • Varicella (Chickenpox):Serological evidence of immunity (please attach) OR proof of two doses of varicella vaccination.

CPSS Requirements (Serology Testing)

  • Hepatitis B: Documentation of a Hepatitis B immunization series is required for all students. Both anti-HBs (hepatitis B surface antibody) and HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) are required. Hep B serology is tested annually unless confirmed immune to HBV or required earlier pursuant to a blood or body fluid exposure protocol.

  • Hepatitis C: HCV serology (Hep C Ab) is required for all students (Documentation of serology is required within 1st year and again end of 3rd year).

  • HIV: HIV serology is required for all students (Documentation of serology is required within 1st year and again end of 3rd year).

Highly Recommended Immunizations

  • COVID-19: Immunization for COVID-19 is strongly recommended due to MD program learning activities resulting in a potentially elevated risk of COVID-19 transmission. For certain clinical learning activities and clerkship electives, students who do not have COVID-19 vaccination may not be able to participate.

  • Influenza:Influenza immunization is strongly recommended. Clinical clerks are offered influenza immunization through the SHA, as part of employee campaigns. The UGME offices in Saskatoon and Regina contact students about these clinics, organized by Occupational Health and Safety units at the Royal University Hospital (Saskatoon) and Regina General Hospital (Regina). In the event of influenza or other outbreak, any unvaccinated or non-immune student will be excluded from the outbreak area and will not be allowed to return until the SHA has determined it is safe to do so.