Student Immunization

You must provide documentation showing you have had the two-shot MMR series, OR you must provide documentation showing a positive titer.

NOTE: A "positive titer" provides verification that you have antibodies present in your system that indicate you (1) have had the disease or (2) have been vaccinated "successfully" against the disease. In either case, a positive titer indicates that you are unlikely to get the disease a second time. Documentation of measles as a child does NOT meet the requirement.

You must provide documentation showing you have had a two-vaccination Varicella series (aka Var or Chicken Pox), OR you must provide documentation showing you have a positive (immune) titer.

NOTE: Documentation of chicken pox as a child does NOT meet the requirement.

You must provide documentation showing you have had an adult TDAP (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis Shot) within the past 10 years.

NOTE: DTAP is not acceptable (this is a childhood vaccine). TD is not acceptable. If your TDAP is older than 10 years, you must get a TDAP Does (nota Tetanus booster).

The Hepatitis B immunization series and a recent positive titer are required of all students. If you have completed the Hepatitis B series, you must also provide proof of immunity by titer.

If you have a negative titer, you must receive an additional 3 doses of the Hep B vaccine and a repeat titer. The 2 dose booster series is approved to meet the requirement. 2-dose HepB vaccine series only applies when both doses consist of HepB-CpG. You have 1 academic year to repeat the series but must start it before enrollment at UTHSC.

You are only considered a non-responder when you have had 3 doses, a negative titer, 2 or 3 additional doses and a second negative titer. If you have a negative titer, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends no further shots if the titer is negative. You are only considered a non-responder when you have had 3 doses, a negative titer, 2 or the 3 additional doses and a second negative titer. 

NOTE: The College of Dentistry requires that prior to any student/trainee (including Doctor of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene and Residents) having patient contact, the student/trainee shall present proof of protection against hepatitis B. There are no exemptions for religious or other personal preferences.

You must provide documentation showing you have had the polio series or a titer showing immunity.

All UTHSC students are required to have documentation of tuberculosis screening completed within 3 months prior to their start date.

• New students may elect to have a tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma ray assay (IGRA) test.
• Students who have been vaccinated with the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and do not have a history of a positive tuberculosis screening are required to have screening through a blood assay to determine screening status.
• Students with a positive tuberculosis screen will need to provide documentation of a negative chest x-ray AND an absence of symptoms evaluation by their healthcare provider. Both documents must be dated within 3 months prior to enrollment start date.

All UTHSC students are required to have tuberculosis screening annually.

College of Pharmacy Students

If you are a College of Pharmacy student, you must provide documentation showing you have had a flu shot every year. Entering Pharmacy students are not required to provide documentation of the influenza vaccine until the fall flu season.

Physician Assistant Students

If you are a Physician Assistant Student, you must provide documentation showing you have had a flu shot every year. Entering Physician Assistant Students must provide documentation of influenza vaccine at time of admission to the Spring semester during fall flu season.

Other Programs

Students in other colleges are required to get a flu shot.

UTHSC provides flu shots for the entire campus at the annual Flu Shot Day in the fall at no cost.

If you are a Clinical Laboratory Science student, you must provide documentation showing you have had the Meningitis Vaccine.