Policies

Confidentiality

All medical care and counseling through Weill Cornell Medicine Student Health Services (SHS) and the Student Mental Health Program is confidential. Health records are completely separate from all other university records. In the event of treatment with another physician or hospital, SHS will share relevant health information for continuity of care. Otherwise, SHS will not release any information about you without your permission, except as authorized or required by law, or in our judgment as necessary to protect you or others from a serious threat to health or safety.

Privacy

Weill Cornell Medicine Student Health Services is committed to preserving the rights and privacy of our patients. State and federal laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protect your medical information from being shared without your consent. Weill Cornell Medicine Student Health Services does not sell, share or release your sensitive health information, and only utilizes information necessary for payment, treatment and operations.

Students are encouraged to review Weill Cornell’s Notification of Privacy Practices.

Release of Information

We need your permission to share information about your health care at Weill Cornell Medicine Student Health Services with someone else (e.g., a parent or other family member, a partner, a health care provider outside SHS) or if copies of records are desired. Contact SHS for additional information.

Email Communications

Student Health Services periodically sends out an email blast to all students, with important announcements, deadlines and updates. These emails are sent to your official Weill Cornell email. Students are advised to read these messages, as we do not generate printed/mailed announcements.

Limitations of Email

SHS is committed to the privacy of the people who rely on us for care and the confidentiality of their health information. State and federal laws also protect the confidentiality of this sensitive information. Students need to be aware that:

• Email cannot be considered a confidential mode of communication.
• Email should not be considered a replacement for direct, face–to–face contact with a provider.

Guidelines for the Use of Email

To help insure privacy, patients and clients are cautioned against sending sensitive, detailed personal information to SHS via email. SHS staff members limit the use of email communication to:

• addressing general questions
• appointment reminders
• announcements and deficiency reminders

A healthcare provider may recommend that a student make an appointment for more complex concerns. Please be aware that copies of email communication may be placed in your confidential medical record.

Email should never be used to convey information of an urgent nature to SHS. SHS cannot guarantee prompt responses to email messages. Students who have an urgent physical or mental health concern (about yourself or someone else) can call SHS for telephone consultation with a healthcare provider.

Students with blood-borne pathogen or chemical exposures should review the emergency instructions, and contact Student Health Services: (646) 962-6942.

All incidents are investigated by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

Resources

Environmental Health and Safety: Program Manual

Most services at SHS are provided at no additional cost to students beyond an annual health services fee from Weill Cornell Medical College and the Graduate School of Medical Sciences. Any service requested and provided outside of the SHS (examples include, but are not limited to, physician consultation, the processing of a laboratory specimen, imaging referral and physical therapy) will be billed to the patient’s health insurance plan directly by the rendering provider. As a service to patients, SHS collects and shares insurance information with our laboratory pathologists, for specimens originating in the Student Health Center.

Students are ultimately responsible for all financial aspects of their care, regardless of insurance coverage. Any disputes regarding payment are between the student, their insurance company and the rendering provider - not SHS.

Students are advised to learn the details of their health insurance, as SHS does not verify coverage nor submits bills/claims.

Weill Cornell Medicine Student Health Services (SHS) helps ensure that all students meet campus health and immunization requirements. Requirements are established in conjunction with the academic programs taking into consideration requirements set by NYS laws for students and health care workers, academic program accrediting bodies, terms of clinical training affiliation agreements, and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the American College Health Association. SHS follows all applicable Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Policies and Procedures.

Students who will be participating directly in the medical care of patients, work in laboratories in hospital-owned space, or who may work with human body fluids and tissues or cell lines, are considered “clinical students” for purposes of campus health requirements. This includes all MD, MDPHD, PA, MS Clinical Genetics and all PHD students.

Students who will not be participating directly in the medical care of patients and are not expected to work with human body fluids and tissues are considered “non-clinical students” for purposes of campus health requirements. This includes all other Masters Degree programs not listed above.

Please review each of the sections below for details for each specific requirement.

Forms

Health forms for new/incoming students will be distributed by the academic programs in collaboration with Student Health and will include any of the following:

• Patient Registration: all students in all academic programs.
• Medical History: all academic programs except MSCTI, MSCE, MSHL
• Physical Examination: all academic programs except MSCTI, MSCE, MSHL. Must be completed by a health professional not related to the student.
• Immunization: all academic programs will have some type of immunization form required. Must be completed by a health professional not related to the student.
• Meningitis Information Form: all students in all academic programs.
• OSHA Respirator Screening Questionnaire: MD, MDPHD, MS Clinical Genetics, and Physician Assistant students

Health forms and supporting documentation are scanned and stored in the campus enterprise medical record system and subject to the Weill Cornell Medicine privacy policy.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella

Required for: All students in all academic programs.

New York State law requires post–secondary students to show immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. You can prove immunity with a blood test (serologic titer) or record of two MMR vaccinations given after age 1 and at least 4 weeks apart or two disease of measles vaccine 4 weeks apart after age 1, two doses of mumps vaccine 4 weeks apparat after age 1 and one dose of rubella administered after age 1.

If you can’t provide immunity by blood test or prior vaccination records, you will need two MMR booster shots, administered 4 weeks apart. Students who don’t show proof of immunity or start the vaccination process within 30 days of classes may be put on leave and can’t join academic activities until they meet the requirements.

If you’re allergic or have a medical reason you cannot receive this vaccine, you’ll need to provide a doctor’s note. Contact Student Health Services for details on how to request a medical exemption.

For students who are in patient-facing academic programs, moral objections to vaccination are not allowed.

Meningitis Information/Vaccination

Required for: Completion of a form is required for all students in all academic programs. Vaccination itself is not required.

New York State law requires all college and university students receive information about meningitis disease and for those that have not been immunized, to complete a meningitis information response form. It acknowledges that you have received information about meningococcal meningitis and the availability of meningitis vaccines. You are not required to have the vaccination.

Varicella

Required for: All students in all academic programs.

A positive titer indicating immunity, or two doses of vaccine at least 30 days apart after your first birthday. Clinical history of disease is not sufficient proof of immunity for our campus. Titers may be checked at SHS if there is no lab report or vaccine history provided with registration materials.

Tetanus–Diphtheria–Acellular Pertussis (Tdap)

Required for: All students in all academic programs.

Must provide documentation of receipt of a dose of Tdap within the last 10 years.

Hepatitis Vaccine and Testing

Required for: Incoming students in the MD, MD/PHD, MS in Clinical Genetics, Physician Assistant, and all PHD programs.

Recommended: Incoming students in all other programs

Student must provide immunization records for Hepatitis B vaccination and results for hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B surface antibody and hepatitis C antibody testing. We recommend students begin the two- or three-injection series upon arrival at the medical college if they have not received the vaccine previously or are not immune by serology. The hepatitis B vaccine will be offered to all students free of charge at Student Health Services for students that are not immune to hepatitis B where vaccination is recommended. Students who lack immunity to hepatitis B after vaccination may need to repeat a two- or three-dose series and/or undergo additional testing to exclude chronic infection with hepatitis B.

Students in other WCM Degree Programs not listed above, and who will not be in patient-facing activities or working with human tissue or cell lines, do not require testing but may provide documentation of any hepatitis B vaccines and/or testing they may have received.

Tuberculosis Testing

Baseline Test Required for: All incoming students except for students in the MSHL program

Incoming students are required to have an interferon gamma release assay (“TB Blood test”) Quantiferon Gold, performed no later than 6 months prior to arrival to campus. Skin tests and T-spot assays are not accepted for incoming students. Students who are unable to get testing performed prior to testing may be able to get testing performed through Student Health Services.

Students with a positive TB test must submit an x-ray report dictated by a radiologist in English within 12 months of arrival (and after the positive test). Students must also provide documentation by a health care provider that the student is free of symptoms of tuberculosis. If the individual has received treatment for tuberculosis infection (latent or active) then treatment records should also be provided. SHS may provide a TB symptom screening questionnaire for completion.

Students in the MD program will have a subsequent yearly tuberculosis risk assessment and may need periodic/targeted TB testing in accordance with NYS and CDC recommendations.

Students in the PA program are required to have a yearly tuberculosis test.

Students that conduct research with tuberculosis may require more frequent assessment and testing.

Periodic Health Assessments

Required for: Continuing students in all academic programs that work with humans or animals

Students in academic programs that involve patient contact will undergo a yearly health review and TB risk assessment. Students that conduct research with animals will undergo a periodic animal handler health review.

Influenza

Required for: All students that work in hospital-owned space or with patients.

Recommended for: all other students.

Yearly flu vaccine is required for all medical and PA students. It is strongly encouraged for all other students in the health professions. It is provided free of charge during the fall and early winter (assuming supplies are adequate).

COVID Vaccination

Sites where clinical students are placed may require proof of COVID vaccination or an approved medical exemption. To streamline the medical clearance process, students may submit proof of vaccination so WCM SHS can assist with clinical site compliance requirements.

Students in the patient care setting are at increased risk of acquiring and transmitting communicable diseases to patients, visitors and colleagues. Student Health Services works closely with various campus offices to ensure that students are appropriately trained, screened, treated, and when necessary, removed from patient contact.

All students with patient contact must complete infection control training periodically. Infection control training is provided by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, as well as through an online course in infection control, and covers numerous topics including universal precautions, clinical safety and blood-borne pathogen training. Students may be required to undergo additional training modules by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. All students with patient contact will also undergo respirator training and fit–testing, also through the Office of Environmental Health & Safety.

Students exposed to communicable illness, or with signs and symptoms of communicable illness, are advised to set up a visit with Student Health for evaluation, and, if appropriate, prophylactic treatment. Student Health will notify public health authorities or the hospital epidemiology department as needed, so that exposed patients can receive appropriate evaluation and treatment. Students may require temporary restriction of patient contact/academic duties, and the Director of Student Health will coordinate with the student, their supervisor and/or appropriate associate dean or director to ensure that they do not pose a hazard to the Cornell community.

Conditions that require evaluation and/or treatment include:

• tuberculosis exposure
• staphylococcal infection or carriage
• group A streptococcal infection
• gastroenteritis
• blood-borne pathogen exposure
• varicella exposure
• scabies exposure
• lice exposure
• chronic infectious disease
• influenza
• meningococcal disease
• conjunctivitis
• other communicable disease and/or symptoms such as herpes simplex, herpes zoster, measles, mumps, rubella, unexplained fever, unexplained cough, pertussis, rash or open sores, and fingernail bed disease

All Weill Cornell Medicine students are required to participate in our annual influenza vaccination program, conducted in conjunction with NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital. Influenza vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your colleagues and our patients from influenza disease.

Influenza vaccination will be offered free-of-charge to all students when available – usually in the fall. Vaccination begins as soon as the vaccine is available, and will continue through the end of the influenza season.

Students may receive the vaccine from other sources, such as rotation hospitals, other physicians, pharmacies or other public events. Students are advised to forward copies of any relevant immunization records to Student Health for inclusion in their medical record.

Students declining vaccination may be required to participate in an educational program, and must complete a form declining vaccination.

Additional updates will be available here during the actual vaccination campaign.

General Policy

Weill Cornell Medicine Student Health Services does not provide excuses for routine illnesses, injuries and mental health problems that may lead to missed educational activities. Cornell University expects that students are honest with their faculty regarding their ability to complete work, and faculty are expected to work on these issues with students. Faculty members who have concerns about attendance issues should notify the appropriate associate dean or program director for assistance.

Students with Illness in Patient Care Settings

In order to prioritize patient safety, students are discouraged from participating in direct patient contact when seriously ill. If a student is determined to have symptoms or conditions that require them to be restricted from direct patient contact, the Director of Student Health will work with the student and supervising faculty to determine appropriate restriction of duties and any necessary "return to work" evaluation. The student and their supervisor will determine the need and manner for making up missed work.

The following signs and symptoms of communicable illness should prompt students involved in patient care to receive evaluation at SHS: persistent cough, fever, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and weeping red eyes.

Assistance with Serious, Ongoing Illness or Injury

When a student is hospitalized or has a serious, ongoing illness or injury, with the student’s consent, the Director of Student Health (or Director of the Student Mental Health Program) will communicate with the appropriate staff in charge of the student’s educational program, and remain available to discuss matters of health leave or accommodation. Medical students with ongoing illness or injury as a result of infectious agents or occupational hazards are reminded to contact the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (refer to the Student Handbook - "Effects of Infectious and Environmental Disease or Disability on Medical Student Learning Activities").

If professors or instructors request that you present a health or medical excuse from Weill Cornell Medicine Student Health Services, please print a copy of the WCMC Medical Excuse Policy for them. If you have ongoing concerns related to their request, please contact your academic advisor or dean’s office.

Students are advised to review the attendance policies and procedures in their academic program’s student handbook.

Your Weill Cornell student health record is independent of all other university records. It is confidential, and only accessible by Student Health staff and individuals involved in your direct clinical care. The following items are included in your health record:

• completed Student Health forms
• copies of forms completed at or by SHS staff
• any appointments and treatments you’ve received at SHS
• email communications
• imaging reports
• immunization summaries
• lab reports
• phone conversations
• any documents received from other doctors or facilities
• any information release forms you’ve signed

Paper medical records, for students who graduated prior to July, 2014, are held in a secure storage facility until they are ready for destruction. Records are destroyed seven years after separation from the institution.

All health records for students who enrolled July, 2014 and onward are kept in the campus enterprise electronic medical record system.

The law protects the privacy and confidentiality of your records. Records are not released to third parties without a signed, written release of information.

Students requiring records are advised to call the office.

Student Mental Health is committed to providing exceptional, quality care; this is only possible with consistent follow-up visits with your Student Mental Health provider. Our services are also highly requested. There are often students on a waiting/cancellation list who really want our help. By providing proper notice of cancellation, you are allowing those students the opportunity to receive the help they need.

To that end, our policy is as follows:
Please cancel appointments at least 24 hours in advance.
After 3 cancellations or no-show appointments, you will be discharged from the Student Mental Health Program. Community referral options may be provided.

To cancel an appointment, please contact your clinician directly by email or phone.

Students with questions regarding our Cancellation/No-Show Policy may contact the program by email (studentmentalhealth@med.cornell.edu).

Student Health Services and the Student Mental Health Program are currently providing both in-person and telehealth appointments and sessions.

For all telehealth appointments or telehealth sessions, patients are required to be physically located in the state of New York at the time of the appointment/session in a space reasonably free of distractions and suitable to maintain your privacy and confidentiality.

Students that will not be physically present in the state of New York are asked to cancel and reschedule their appointment/session. For SHS, you may cancel your appointment in the Connect app or call the office. For Student Mental Health, please call or email your clinician to cancel.