This guidance can be used as a basis for decision making about vaccinations for medical programmes, which necessarily contain lots of exposure prone procedures for medical students. Local occupational health will be able to advise on risks if any vaccines are unavailable.
Summary
This guidance document, jointly issued by the Medical Schools Council, Dental Schools Council, Public Health England, and other health bodies, outlines the health clearance requirements for medical and dental students in relation to blood borne viruses (BBVs) and tuberculosis (TB). It provides protocols for screening, eligibility to perform exposure prone procedures (EPPs), and responsibilities of students, schools, and occupational health services.
Key findings
- BBV testing is required for all dental students before admission and for medical students before performing EPPs.
- Students infected with BBVs may still train and qualify, but restrictions apply unless they meet specific criteria for viral suppression and monitoring.
- EPPs are defined as procedures where injury to the healthcare worker could expose patients to their blood.
- TB screening is mandatory for new healthcare workers and includes risk assessment, skin testing, and vaccination where appropriate.
- Confidentiality is paramount; only clearance status (not clinical details) is shared with training providers.
