Policies & Forms

Eligibility

All current students are eligible to receive services at the Student Health Center (SHC). Students are subject to all requirements of the SHC (including completion of the Student Health Form).

Services

• Nursing assessment and treatment of illness and injury, referral for further evaluation by a physician or nurse practitioner.
• Health and wellness information.
• Men’s and women's health services, confidential consultation with clinicians, STI testing and treatment.
• Tampons and liners are available in the waiting room and in the Student Health Center bathroom.

Fees

A $20 deposit is required for crutches, when the crutches are returned the deposit will be reimbursed.

All graduate students are subjected to fees unless the student has purchased the University Insurance.

Vaccine-preventable diseases continue to occur on American campuses. Based on the recommendations of the American College Health Association (ACHA) Vaccine Preventable Diseases Committee and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Saint Joseph’s University requires the following immunizations:

Required Immunizations

• COVID-19 vaccine – Series of 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson (Jansen). See below for WHO COVID-19 vaccines.
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) – Immunization with two doses of MMR, given on or after the first birthday and separated by at least one month.
• Tetanus/Diphtheria– Three doses of tetanus/diphtheria are required with a booster given within the past ten years.
• Polio– Three doses; Booster only if needed for travel.
• Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccine (conjugated) – One dose, on or after age 16 years, is required for students living in University-owned housing (Pennsylvania State Law). Students must complete a written waiver if declining meningitis vaccination.
• Varicella Vaccine (Chicken Pox): Two doses of varicella-containing vaccine at least 12 weeks apart if vaccinated between 1 and 12 years of age and at least 4 weeks apart if vaccinated at age 13 years or older.
• Tuberculosis Testing/PPD (within the past year) - Recommended for all students; required for:
  • Education Majors
  • Anyone who has lived in or visited South America, Central America, Eastern Europe, Asia or Africa in the last 5 years.
  • Students in contact with a known case.
  • A chest x-ray is required if the student has had tuberculosis, has a positive reaction or has a past known positive PPD.

Immunization records must be complete and on file in the Student Health Center in order to register for classes. For religious or medical exemptions for non-COVID-19 vaccines, please email the Student Health Center at health@sju.edu. For religious or medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine, see the below information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

Recommended Immunizations

• Hepatitis B – Series of 3 doses; 0, 1-2mo., 6-12 months.
• Hepatitis A – Series of 2 doses; 0, 6-12 months.
• Meningococcal B. vaccine
  • Bexsero: Series of 2 doses
  • Trumenba: Series of 3 doses

COVID-19 VACCINE REQUIREMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF

COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters are required for all SJU students, faculty and staff who will be on campus and who do not have a vaccination exemption. Instructions on how to submit your updated booster information and details on extenuating circumstances (i.e., a recent COVID-19 infection) can be found here.
 
There will be two booster clinics on campus, on Tuesday, Jan. 25 and Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Instructions on how to sign up will follow.

The health and safety of our entire campus community are of paramount importance. We also desire to return fully to a more normal and vibrant on-campus experience, with limited need for testing, isolation, and other mitigation efforts. Accordingly, the University will require all students, faculty, and staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before participating in any on-campus activity related to the 2021-22 academic year. If you are unable to obtain the vaccine in your current location, we will help you do so when you arrive in Philadelphia. 

As of May 13, 2021, WHO has listed the following COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use:

• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines (e.g., COMIRNATY, Tozinameran)
• AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccines (e.g., Covishield, Vaxzevria)
• Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine
• Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
• Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine
• Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19 vaccines not authorized by FDA but listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO): People who have received all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that is listed for emergency use by WHO do not need any additional doses with an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine. People who have not received all the recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine listed for emergency use by WHO may be offered a complete FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine series.

COVID-19 vaccines neither authorized by FDA nor listed for emergency use by World Health Organization (WHO): People who received all or some of the recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that is neither authorized by FDA nor listed for emergency use by WHO may be offered a complete FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine series. The minimum interval between the last dose of a non-FDA authorized vaccine or a WHO-listed vaccine and an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine is 28 days. Only people who have received all recommended doses of an FDA-authorized or WHO-listed COVID-19 vaccine are considered fully vaccinated for the purpose of public health guidance. The Centers for Disease Control website has many resources for students and families to research the safety, efficacy and benefits of vaccination.

COVID-19 VACCINE MEDICAL & RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS

If you still desire to claim a medical exemption, you are required to recertify your exemption by November 15, 2021. Per the City of Philadelphia higher education vaccine requirements, all medical exemption requests must include a statement signed by a licensed healthcare provider (i.e., a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant licensed by an authorized state licensing board) explaining the medical facts as to why the COVID-19 vaccine is contraindicated for your specific medical condition and that the exemption applies to you.

For students, the medical documentation will be reviewed by the Student Health Center medical staff and you will be informed whether or not it meets the University and City of Philadelphia medical exemption standard via email. For employees, the medical documentation will be reviewed by a contracted medical provider and you will be informed whether or not it meets the University and City of Philadelphia medical exemption standard via email. Medical information will not be shared with others at the University.

If you still desire to claim a religious exemption, you are required to recertify your exemption by November 15, 2021, and you must provide which religion you follow (please note nearly all major religions and denominations have no prohibition against vaccinations including Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Amish, Anglican, Baptist, Church of the Later Day Saints, Congregational, Episcopalian, Jehovah’s Witness, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Quaker, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Seventh-Day Adventist, Unitarian-Universalist, Hinduism, Islam, Jianism, Judaism, and Scientiology). In addition, you must provide a written statement describing the specific relevant tenants of your sincerely held religious belief that prevent you from receiving the vaccination. Your request for a religious exemption will be reviewed by the Office of Mission and you will be informed whether or not it meets the University standard.

Resources:

CDC Vaccines & Immunizations

Hawk Hill Ahead

New Student Requirements

Student Health Evaluation Form

Meningitis Information (please read)

• • In March 2011 the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices issued a new vaccine recommendation for meningitis. The update recommends a booster dose of meningococcal meningitis vaccine (conjugated) on/after 16 years of age. If students received the initial dose of vaccine on/after age 16 years, no booster dose is recommended.
  • Students/Parents are asked to contact their primary care provider regarding the need for a booster dose.

One of the goals of the Student Health Center (SHC) is to provide all students with high-quality healthcare in a manner that clearly recognizes individual needs and rights. To effectively accomplish this goal, it is necessary for students and health care providers to work together. To that end, the following rights and responsibilities must be recognized and safe guarded.

As a student you have the following RIGHTS:

• To receive care and treatment with courtesy, respect, privacy and consideration.
• To receive information in terms that you can understand and to have any questions answered concerning your diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and any associated risks.
• To refuse to be examined or treated by health practitioners and to be informed of the consequences of such decisions.
• To be referred to an alternative health care source when appropriate or upon request.
• To participate actively in decisions regarding your health care and treatment.
• To know the identity of your health care provider.
• To review any medical records created and maintained by the SHC regarding your care and treatment, and to request amendments to these records in consultation with your health care provider.
• To have your medical record kept confidential and be released only with appropriate personal authorization/signed written release.
• To file a grievance with the administration of the SHC if you feel any of these rights have been violated.

As a student you have the following RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To show courtesy and consideration for the SHC staff.
• To provide complete information about immunizations, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and allergies to enable proper evaluation and treatment by clinicians.
• To ask questions or request clarification if needed to ensure that there is an adequate understanding of your health problem or treatment.
• To follow instructions concerning medications, follow-up visits, and other essential steps in our treatment plan, and to notify your provider if the plan cannot be followed, condition worsens or an unexpected reaction occurs.
• To keep scheduled appointments or cancel within a reasonable time ahead so that another person may be given that time slot.
• To be respectful of other patients’ privacy and confidentiality.
• To accept responsibility for any charges incurred with any health care provider outside of the SHC.

You may direct any concerns about Rights and Responsibilities to the Director of the Student Health Center.

Saint Joseph’s University Student Health Center does not provide medical excuse notes for students due to illness, injury and/or mental health problems that may lead to missed classes, exams or academic deadlines.

It is the student’s responsibility to inform the professor prior to the missed class, just as the student would be expected to inform their place of employment prior to the start of their work day. It is also the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for missed class work or collecting missed notes of lectures or other assignments as necessary.

Just as Saint Joseph's strives to grow students of competence and character, the Student Health Center encourages students to make healthy and mature decisions when they are sick. This includes healthy eating, adequate sleeping, following medical advice, and possibly missing classes when ill.

All decisions about the impact of an absence and arrangements for making up missed work must be determined between the professor and student.

The goal of the Student Health Center is to provide care to as many sick or injured students as possible rather than spending time verifying short term medical absences. This policy is consistent with recommendations from the American College Health Association and is similar to policies at other peer universities.

Assistance with ongoing illness or injury

Any student with an illness, injury, hospitalization or mental health problem requiring multiple absences should contact the Student Health Center. The Health Center will help facilitate communication with Student Success and / or Student Disability Services.

The Student Health Center maintains a strict policy of confidentiality to safeguard the privacy of your personal and health information. This is an essential component of quality health care and is required by law.

Every undergraduate student has a confidential health record that is maintained in the Student Health Center during your student years and is kept on file for seven years past your graduation date. The Student Health Center does not release personal health information to anyone without your written authorization including faculty, administration, family members, fellow students, employers, etc. Exceptions include life-threatening illness/injury or those reasons required by law such as court subpoena or public health reporting requirements.

Download the Authorization for Release of Confidential Health Information form.

Please click on the link below to view the entire consent form.

Medication Administration Consent Form For a Minor and Licensed Prescriber Order