HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

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IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER FOR THE EXTERNSHIP, YOU MUST COMPLETE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

Because of the health and screening requirements of the healthcare facilities in which students are placed for their summer externship, all students must comply with the entry requirements (listed below), before receiving an add code for the restricted summer externship class:

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

A. Print out, sign, date and turn in ALL acknowledgement and signature forms found at the end of the Medical Assisting Student Handbook. The Handbook can be accessed by clicking the "MA Student Handbook" link on the left of this webpage. The directions on how and where to turn in the forms are in the Handbook.

B. Purchase your NON-refundable* tracker package from our third party screening vendor, CastleBranch, by following these steps:

  • *PLEASE NOTE: The CastleBranch tracker package fee is NON-refundable. If the student pays the fee to CastleBranch, but then does not get an add code for the course, or drops the course, or is dropped by the Coordinator for any reason, or fails the course, or the classes are cancelled by the District, the student will NOT be refunded by SRJC. However, the student may contact CastleBranch and ask what their refund policy is.

     1.Go to www.castlebranch.com 

     2. In the “Place Order” Field, enter the package code you received from the MA Coordinator and click submit.

     3. Create an account

     4. Once your account has been created, be sure that "Santa Rosa Junior College - Medical Assisting" is listed under "Please Review".

     5. Agree to the terms and conditions at the bottom, and click continue.

     6. Continue with entering the personal information as requested. Under the "Student Information" section, you are an undergraduate, the "Degree/Certification" is: Medical Assisting Certificate, and your "expected date of graduation" is August, 2025.

     7. Be sure your name is in each field of the background check section.

     8. Decline the Castlebranch badge.

     9. Pay the Package Fee ($127 - NON-Refundable, no exceptions)

     10. Finish following the prompts until you get confirmation your order is complete.

C. After registering with CastleBranch, paying the fee, and entering your personal information, you will be given instructions to take your drug test, instructions to complete your background check, and be prompted to scan and upload these required documents:

     1. Negative urine drug screen* (facilitated by CastleBranch, and done in a local lab). Typical turn around time is 1-2 weeks, but it can take up to 4 weeks to process, once the student has submitted the urine sample.

  • *PLEASE NOTE: Our clinical sites require a completely clean drug screen*, and this includes medical/prescription and/or recreational marijuana. Students who test positive for marijuana, even if they hold a medical marijuana card/prescription, will not be accepted to the program.

     2. Negative background check*(done by CastleBranch). Typical turn around time is 1-2 weeks, but it can take up to 4 weeks to process, once the student has submitted the information.

  • *PLEASE NOTE: Our clinical sites require a completely clean background* If the student has any items that show up on their background check, the student will not be allowed to attend the clinical and/or administrative internships and/or externships. Misdemeanors may, or may not, show up on a background check. If nothing shows up on the background check, then the student is considered clear, and can be admitted (as long as all other requirements are met, and there is space in the program at the time). Click here for the CastleBranch Criminal Record Info Sheet which provides detail as to the types of city, county, state, and federal criminal/background searches that are performed.

          *If you have further questions or concerns about the background check and/or drug screen, please email Kat Slusser at KSlusser@SantaRosa.edu for a confidential inquiry. A confidential phone call can also be arranged.

     3. Clear health evaluation - use 4-page SRJC Health Eval Packet below.

  • Click Health Care Resources to see a list of local Sonoma County Health Care Resources
  • Health Eval Packet in PDF
  • ​​​​The student fills out page 1 and page 4*, and then the student brings ALL 4 pages to the students primary care provider.

          *PLEASE NOTE: On page 4 of the health eval packet, if the student checks "I can meet the technical standards with reasonable accommodations....." then the student MUST make an appointment with the Disability Resources Department (DRD) at SRJC as soon as possible to be evaluated for the need for an accommodation. Go here for more information: https://drd.santarosa.edu/.

          *PLEASE NOTE: The MA program welcomes students with disabilities.

  • The provider reads the bottom of page 1, and all of page 2, and fills out, signs, and stamps page 3.
  • The student then uploads ALL 4 pages to their CastleBranch account profile.
  • The student should keep the original, completed 4 page packet for their records.

     4. Two-Step PPD*(Tuberculosis skin test). The 1st TB skin test is placed and read, then the 2nd test is placed and read from a week to a month later. (Do not have the MMR immunizations immediately before this test.)

         *PLEASE NOTE: The Quantiferon Gold (TB blood test) is NOT accepted.

          *PLEASE NOTE: If the student has a history of positive TB skin tests, and/or has received the Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccines, the student must submit the report from a chest xray that was done with in the last 12 months (NOT the xray picture) AND a completed Annual TB Clearance/Symptom Form that a licensed provider has signed. Click here for an example of an Annual TB Clearance/Symptom Form. Most provider offices have a variation of this form, but if yours does not, feel free to print out and bring this form to your provider to use as your official TB form. Only use this form if you have had a history of positive TB skin tests, and/or have ever received the BCG vaccines.

     5. Positive hepatitis B titer (date of titer can be any date - no recency requirement) OR a complete hepatitis B series with positive titer after last dose (takes 4-6 months to complete).

  • First 2 doses must be complete in order to receive the add code, and the 3rd dose must be completed when it's due.

     6. Positive varicella (chicken pox*) titer (date of titer can be any date - no recency requirement) OR complete varicella series.

         *PLEASE NOTE: If you have had chicken pox, either as a child or adult, this does NOT meet the requirement, and you must get a blood titer drawn OR get the vaccines.

      7. Complete series of Tdap vaccines (if given more than 10 years ago, booster must have been completed within the last 10 years).

      8. Positive titer for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) (date of titer can be any date - no recency requirement) OR a complete series of MMR vaccines.

      9. Current, 2-year American Heart Association (AHA) endorsed ‘BLS Provider’ certification card (formerly known as ‘Healthcare Provider’).

  • Must include AED, infant, child, adult.
  • CPR cards without the AHA seal are NOT accepted. 
  • ‘Heartsaver’ card is NOT accepted.
  • American Red Cross is NOT accepted.
  • Click BLS Providers to see a list of local companies that provide AHA approved BLS Provider training

     10. Current annual flu vaccine received between August 1st and May 31st of every academic year. 

  • Declinations are not accepted unless there is a documented written medical contraindication to the flu shot. Written declinations will be accepted if provided and signed by a licensed medical professional, and on company letterhead. Flu shot declination statements written by students will not be accepted.
  • If a student provides a valid flu shot declination (as described above), then the student will be required to comply with the clinical agencies “Flu shot declination policy” which usually involves wearing a face mask at all times while onsite during the flu season – September to April.

          *PLEASE NOTE: The flu virus is constantly changing. Experts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) must pick which viruses (strains) to include in the upcoming years vaccines many months ahead of time, in order for the vaccines to be produced and then delivered on time. This is why obtaining the flu shot only between August 1st and May 31st of the current academic year for the summer externship semester is required. If the flu shot is obtained earlier that that, then the strain is from last years batch, and may not be as effective in preventing the spread of the flu, and is not considered valid by our clinical sites. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/ 

    11. Current annual covid vaccine received anytime after August of 2024.

    12. As you submit items to CastleBranch, they will notify you if the item is pending review, approved/met, or rejected. You cannot consider items complete until CastleBranch has accepted and approved each item.

     13. For help with CastleBranch, call Client Services at 888-850-4314, or email customerservice@castlebranch.com.

     14. For further questions, please contact Kat Slusser, Medical Assisting Coordinator, at KSlusser@SantaRosa.edu or (707) 524-1720 (email is preferred).

D. Once CastleBranch has approved ALL of your items, and you've turned in your signed MA Student Handbook forms, please email the MA Coordinator, Kat Slusser, RN, at KSlusser@SantaRosa.edu and let her know that you have completed all of the eligibility requirements. At this point:

  • The Coordinator will then check that you have completed all of the items above.
  • If ALL items above are complete, the Coordinator will give you an add code.
  • If all the items above are NOT complete, you cannot receive an add code until they are complete. 

E. Once you receive an add code, please register for the class on your Priority Registration (or open registration) day.

 

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