PRE-EMPLOYMENT HEALTH CLEARANCE

The Employee Health Office for residents is located in the GW Hospital on the ground floor, room 1092. The phone number is 715-4568. The appointment line is 715-4907.

District of Columbia law states that each individual who is involved in direct patient care must have a medical clearance (including a history, physical examination, clearance of infectious risk) not more than three months prior to, nor more than 15 days after, the starting date of clinical care, and then annually thereafter. Clearance forms can be filled out by any licensed physician. You must obtain your medical clearance prior to coming to GWUMC as a new resident. If you do not have your medical clearance prior to your arrival here, you may not begin your residency.

We must be strict about compliance with this regulation in order to comply with D.C. law. It is each resident's responsibility to ensure that this medical clearance is accomplished in the appropriate time frame and received by the Director of Employee Health. If you do not have your health clearance within the allotted time, you will be suspended without pay from further participation in your training program until medical clearance is obtained and recorded to the satisfaction of Employee Health.

PPD/Chest X-ray Requirement

Tuberculosis is of particular concern here in the District of Columbia. Our goal is to be sure that our providers and patients are protected from and appropriately treated for this highly communicable disease. If there is a history of a negative PPD, a PPD (not a TINE test) is required. A CXR report will be accepted only with a previous history of a positive PPD. New OSHA regulations require that new residents be "two-stepped"
— two (2) PPDs, at least one week apart, the first one being no earlier than May 1.

Immunizations

In 1988, GWUMC developed regulations to further reduce the possible spread of communicable diseases such as measles (rubeola), mumps, and German measles (rubella) within its community. You should bring any immunization records with you to GWUMC. If you have proof of immunity by a blood test, that will be accepted as well.

The following policies apply to all residents:

Mumps: A physician-documented history of having had mumps, or proof of immunity to the mumps (the last immunization given in 1980 or later) or proof of immunity by blood test is required.

Measles (Rubeola): Proof of immunization or proof of immunity by a blood test is required. Measles vaccine should have been given on or after your first birthday and a second one given in 1980 or later. Measles vaccine should be repeated if this is not the case.

German Measles (Rubella): Proof of immunization or proof of immunity by a blood test is required. You should have been immunized twice since birth. The last immunization should have been given in 1980 or later. Rubella vaccine should be repeated if this is not the case.

Chicken Pox (Varicella Zoster): A titer for varicella is required if you do not have physician documentation of having had this disease. If your titer is negative, it is mandatory that you receive the vaccine (a series of two injections) unless contra indicated. If you are exposed to the virus and have not received the vaccine, you will be excluded from duty from the 10th day of exposure to the 21st day and this time off will be charged against your sick/annual leave.