Staff:
Debbie
Quinn
Director
Cynthia
Linton
Student Health
Administrator
Carisa Gipson
Student Health Assistant
Gianna
Dimitrakos
Immunization Data Coordinator
John V.
Pruitt, III, MD
Consulting Psychiatrist
Immunizations
The Student Advisory & Health Administration Office (SAHA) is a division of Student Affairs for the Boston and Grafton Health Sciences Campuses. We collect and screen the immunization documentation required by the University and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Change to Requirements - 3/26/08
The immunization requirements have changed for all Boston and Grafton campuses Health Sciences students based on the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) vaccine recommendations. The CDC's Committee of Immunizations Practices now strongly recommends routine use of a Tetanus, Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine in lieu of the Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) booster for adults aged 19-64 years and for all health-care personnel. The Tdap vaccine can be given at an interval as short as 2 years since the previous Td booster.
We are recommending that students, who are in need of a booster dose of Td, get the Tdap vaccine by your due date. This recommendation will become a requirement for all Tufts Health Sciences students on September 1, 2009. At that time, all students with a Td booster older than 2 years will be required to submit documentation of a Tdap vaccine. Please contact Gianna Dimitrakos at 617-636-2700 if you have questions or need additional information.
Newly accepted students' immunization deadlines:
Dental Postgraduate students enrolling in July 2008: April 15, 2008
Dental students enrolling in August/September 2008: June 2, 2008
Medical, Nutrition, Sackler, Veterinary, and Public Health students, enrolling in August/September 2008: July 1, 2008
The Immunization Form may be used for documentation of new immunizations; or, you may attach copies of past immunizations to our Form. Appropriate documentation may include: records from childhood, school, personal physician or immigration.
Specific details for each immunization are explained in each section. Please review the requirements carefully, prior to submitting your documentation.
If you are unable to obtain your immunization records, you must be vaccinated again, or for measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, hepatitis B, or rabies, you may provide documentation of positive antibody titers.
Dental School students must also complete the Hepatitis B Antigen/Antibody Documentation Form prior to the deadlines listed above.
Veterinary School students: pre-exposure rabies vaccination requirements are explained in the Rabies Vaccine Clinic Information for New Students - Fall 2008 document.
Students who request medical or religious exemption from any immunization requirement must provide documentation to support the request.
All registered students are required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the University to be up to date with all immunizations and/or titers. The SAHA Office sends Reminder Notices, with deadlines, to those students needing updates. All signed documentation should be submitted by the deadline. There are no exceptions with compliance to immunization policies.
Students may request verification of their immunization documentation from the SAHA Office at any time. The Office provides an Immunization Certificate, which is accepted at most clinics and hospitals. When requesting a Certificate, please give your name, school, program, and class. We will mail, or fax, an Immunization Certificate on the same day as the request.
If you have questions please call Gianna Dimitrakos, Immunization Data Coordinator, 617-636-2700 or gianna.dimitrakos@tufts.edu
Our office hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
May 2008
Tufts University, Student Advisory &
Health Administration,
200 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111
Phone: 617-636-2700, FAX: 617-636-2708
Copyright © 2001, Tufts University