• The University of Ottawa has mandated Clinical Placement Risk Management (CPRM) requirements for all students doing clinical placements.

• The agencies receiving you for your clinical placement have reserved the right to refuse access to students who do not meet their immunization/testing and other requirements.

• The Clinical Placement Risk Management team, working with the Faculty of Medicine, has the responsibility of ensuring that each student complies with the requirements.

• Failure to submit signed and correctly completed records to CPRM team by the deadlines may result in inability to begin or continue clinical training, cancellation of an elective, and/or eventually the de-registration from clinical courses/internships.

The immunization policies follow the OHA/OMA surveillance protocols for Ontario hospitals. 

Personal or philosophical objections to being immunized or tested are not acceptable reasons for exemption from these policies. If you do not meet, or object to meeting, the immunization/testing requirements as outlined, the agency will be informed and will decide if you have access to their agency for placement purposes. This may affect your ability to complete clinical requirements of the program for which you have applied.

It is recognized that some individuals may be unable to comply with these immunization guidelines for medical reasons (e.g., pregnancy, immunocompromised, allergies, or previous reactions). A medical note signed by a physician must be provided to be considered for a medical exemption.

Read the instructions of the SPRR form found on the CPRM website. It is strongly recommended that applicants make an appointment with a healthcare professional as soon as possible upon receiving their admission documents. Some vaccines require several doses and/or serology reports, for which results can take several weeks. Appointments may also be more difficult to schedule during the summer months. Remember to attach copies of serology reports, chest x-ray reports, and any other supporting documents, as applicable.

• Immunization histories may be available from parent records, hospital/physician visits, public health records or school records.
• If you attended elementary or secondary school in Ottawa, you may contact the City of Ottawa’s Public Health at 613-580-6744 ext. 24108 or send an e-mail to: [email protected].
• Personal or parental verbal reports of vaccines or history of illness are not accepted as evidence of immunity. Most immunizations can be safely restarted according to appropriate scheduled guidelines.
• Upon completion of the immunization form, keep a copy for yourself. You may need it again in the future.

If no record is available, then the attesting health care provider will not have a medical record to confirm a history of clinical infection or vaccination. In this case, serology is required to show proof of immunity. If serology shows no immunity, then vaccination is required.

Immunizations and testing can be done at the following locations:

• Your family physician

• Most walk-in clinics

• Rural provincial public health units (by appointment only)

• The ByWard Family Health Team located at 300-100 Marie-Curie Street (613-564-3950)

• Special Clinics may be offered to you at your placement agency and through Health Services (deadlines must be considered according to your program of study).

A physician may charge a form completion fee. Some vaccines may not be covered by health insurance. Students are responsible for all costs.

Completed forms and questions about immunizations or other requirements can be emailed to the CPRM advisor for your program.

A primary vaccine series is usually received during early childhood. For example, it may have included Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis and Polio, known as DPT-P.

If you don’t have proof of a tetanus-diphtheria-polio primary series, you may provide:

1. Proof of completion of a 3-dose adult primary series.

2. OR, a letter from a physician attesting that you received all doses of a tetanus-diphtheria-polio primary series as a child AND proof of an adult polio booster.

You will need to book an appointment online with the ByWard Family Health Team where the physicians are more familiar with the requirements of the Faculty of Medicine.

You may also contact your Clinical Placement Risk Management advisor for more information.

No, you can be tested for TB once you arrive on campus. You will need to make an appointment online with the ByWard Family Health Team.

You must receive the most current vaccine for the Flu season (for example: if you start your studies in September, you will receive the vaccine in November; If you start your studies in January, you must receive the vaccine prior to admission). The vaccine is manufactured on an annual basis to provide protection against the predicted strains of flu viruses for the flu season. More information about flu shot clinics offered at the University of Ottawa or Ottawa-area hospitals will be provided in early Fall.

You can easily access your proof of vaccination by visiting this Government of Canada website for information on how to obtain your proof of vaccination in every province and territory.