Step 1: Schedule an Appointment with Your Healthcare Provider NOW
Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider in the month of April or the first week of May at the latest. At this appointment your healthcare provider will document your immunizations on the UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences forms (CNHS) and provide any necessary vaccinations, titers or skin tests. Here’s what you need to bring with you to this appointment:
Immunization Notes
COVID-19 vaccine: DPT students must submit a copy of their Covid-19 vaccine card plus one booster or an approved medical or religious exemption before starting the program. Students with Covid-19 exemptions will receive notification from the college regarding the potential impact on their academic progression and must sign an acknowledgment form. Contact Dr. Paula Smith, Director of Clinical Education at new student orientation with questions. Or, if preferred, email Paula.Smith@med.uvm.edu with questions regarding Covid-19 exemptions.
2-step PPD (TB Skin Test): The 2-step tuberculin skin test takes 10 – 21 days to complete and 4 visits to a healthcare provider. The first PPD test is placed one day and read 48 hours later. The second PPD test is placed one to three weeks after the first test is read and again is read 48 hours after it is placed. This is a total of 4 visits to the healthcare provider. If you choose to have a TB Blood Test in place of the 2-step PPD, only one blood test is required annually and the same deadline dates should be followed.
Many local walk-in clinics and pharmacies provide immunization services. Be sure to bring the appropriate CNHS form(s) with you.
Graduate students become eligible to use the UVM Center for Health & Wellbeing office on campus beginning Aug. 1. Students who do not have health insurance through UVM will need to submit receipts directly to their insurance provider. The UVM health office does not bill private insurance companies. Immunizations received at the Center for Health & Wellbeing will be billed to student UVM accounts.
Step 2: Create a CastleBranch.com Account
CNHS has partnered with CastleBranch.com, a web based compliance tracking company, to manage DPT student mandatories. Benefits associated with this service include: secure holding and transfer of personal information, website accessibility 24/7 and lifetime access to personal immunization information. You will need to create a CastleBranch.com account where you will upload your required documentation by May 31. CLICK HERE FOR ORDER INSTRUCTIONS (PDF) >>
Step 3: Complete HIPAA/OSHA Training
Complete HIPAA/OSHA training by May 31. HIPAA/OSHA training is required annually. This training is provided by Evolve e-Learning Solutions, a web-based training provider for HIPAA and OSHA courses. You will receive an email from noreply@evolvelms.com in April with a link to log in using an assigned username and password to access the training. Check your spam or junk folders for this email and be sure to ‘allow pop-ups’ for the training to launch.
Step 4: Submit Mandatories Documentation
Submit the following DPT program mandatories documentation to your CastleBranch.com account by June 1.
- DPT 1st Year Requirements (PDF)
- CNHS Health Insurance Form (PDF)
- DPT 1st Year Immunization Forms (PDF)
Step 5: PLAN TO ATTEND A THREE HOUR, IN PERSON, ON CAMPUS AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION BASIC LIFE SUPPORT FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER CPR TRAINING SATURDAY JUNE 8.
American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider CPR Certification is a program requirement. For convenience, an AHA BLS course is offered at a reduced rate in advance of Orientation.
- Saturday, June 8: in-person training on campus (a 3 hour session will be scheduled for you. Keep this date available). More information including course registration details will be emailed by Lisa McClintock; lisa.mcclintock@med.uvm.edu in advance of orientation.
Course fee: $45 ($5 deposit upon registration and $40 CASH at the in-person Skill Check.)
Step 6: Join the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) in May (not before)
Create a student APTA account using the link below and join the Vermont chapter or your home state chapter and the Research section. To create an electronic membership card click on ‘my membership’ within your APTA profile, select your state chapter and scroll below to join the research section at no additional cost. (Submit a copy of your electronic membership card to your CastleBranch.com account by 5/31) Join APTA >>
Additional Notes
Students will be participating in 3 full-time Clinical Education (CE) Experiences and 3 part-time Integrated Clinical Experiences (ICE) throughout the curriculum.
DPT mandatories satisfy most clinical education facility student requirements however hospitals typically require additional site specific documentation. Be prepared in the event a site you are assigned requires any additional requirements (e.g. drug test, additional background screening, on-site orientation in advance of the start date, an interview, notarized document, etc.). These items may cause students to incur additional fees/expenses.