FAQ - Student Health Service

• The first thing you should do is contact the healthcare provider’s office or clinic where you received your immunizations; they may still have your records.
• If your records cannot be found you have two options:
  • If you are positive you have received the immunizations in question, you can have titers drawn (please consult the Pre-Entrance Health Requirements form for titer requirements). Titers demonstrating immunity to the disease will satisfy your pre-entrance. requirement for that specific disease. A copy of your official quantitative titer results must be submitted with your Pre-Entrance Health Requirements form.
  • If you are unsure whether or not you have received the immunization, it would be in your best interest to get the immunizations to satisfy your Pre-Entrance Health Requirements. Then, submit record of your immunizations with your Pre-Entrance Health Requirements form or have a healthcare provider your Pre-Entrance Health Requirements form verifying you received the immunizations in question.

Please Note: If titers are needed, make sure they meet the specific titer requirements listed on the Pre-Entrance Health Requirements form.

• A copy of your official immunization record, stamped and/or signed by the healthcare provider's office is required.
• A copy of your official quantitative laboratory report must be included when submitting titers to meet your health requirements. A signed note from your healthcare provider stating immunity to a disease does not satisfy this requirement.>

Please Note: Proof of payment is not accepted as verification of immunizations.

A titer report is done by a blood test which shows whether or not you are immune to a specific disease. The type of titer report that is required must be:

• Quantitative - A quantitative titer result provides a numerical value indicating your actual degree of immunity to a disease. Qualitative titer reports are not accepted (this type of report provides a qualitative description such as “positive”, “reactive” or “immune”).
• IgG (for Varicella and MMR) - This is an immunoglobulin G titer report. IgM titer reports are not accepted.
• Hbs AB (for Hepatitis B) - This is a Hepatitis B Surface Antibody titer report. Hbs AG titer reports are not accepted.

If your titer result indicates that you are not immune, you will need to get the vaccine or be revaccinated (booster shot) for that specific disease. A follow-up blood test (typically in 1-2 months) will need to occur to document immunity.

• Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) – three separate blood titers are required for each the three components. 
  • If only one portion of the titer is low, a booster vaccine is needed. Since there are no single component vaccines available, an MMR vaccine needs to be given.
  • After the booster is given, a titer needs to be drawn in 1-2 months to document immunity.
    • In the event that the follow-up titer still shows a non-immune status, a clearance letter can be provided during an appointment with a Student Health Service provider.
• Varicella – a booster vaccine is needed and a titer needs to be drawn in 1-2 months to document immunity.
  • In the event that the follow-up titer still shows a non-immune status, a clearance letter can be provided during an appointment with a Student Health Service provider.
• Hepatitis B – a booster vaccine is needed and a titer needs to be drawn in 1-2 months to document immunity. 
  • In the event that the follow-up titer still shows a non-immune status, there is an option of repeating the Hepatitis B series again (3 vaccines) OR receiving one additional vaccine and repeating the titer in 3-4 weeks.
    • If results are needed quickly (clinical rotation requirement), the quickest method would be to have one additional booster and a repeat titer in 3-4 weeks. 
    • If the 3-vaccine series is repeated, and a follow-up titer still does not show immunity, with this option, after an appointment with a Student Health Service provider, a clearance letter can be given that indicates additional Hepatitis B boosters are not needed.
       

Once you submit your Pre-Entrance Health Requirements form (and all the required documentation), you will receive an automated reply e-mail that notifies you that we have received your information. Please allow 5 business days for the clearing process and then check your student portal for updates concerning your health holds.

Please note:  Incorrect or incomplete submissions will not allow health holds to be cleared and may result in delays. Please carefully review all instructions on the Pre-Entrance Health Requirements form.

There are no pre-entrance health requirements if your entire program is online only. If at any time your program changes from online to on campus, the pre-entrance health requirements will be required before you arrive on campus.

A note from your healthcare provider, documenting an allergic reaction to the immunization in question, is required. This documentation will be reviewed by the Student Health Service clinician.

If you are pregnant and unable to receive immunizations, you will need a note from your healthcare provider verifying your pregnancy and your approximate due date. This will allow Student Health Service to temporarily clear your health hold until your baby is born.

Non-degree students have no Pre-Entrance Health Requirements.

• Student Health Service will grant you temporary clearance, which allows you to register for classes, if an immunization series is in process.
• If the immunization series is not completed in the allotted time, a hold will be placed on your registration portal preventing you from registering for classes until the needed immunization is administered.

The Td (tetanus, diphtheria) vaccine will only activate your body’s immune defenses against the tetanus and diphtheria diseases. The Tdap vaccine will help your body build immunity against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).

The Pre-Entrance Health Requirements indicate that a Tdap is required every 10 years and a Td can be accepted if there is documentation of a Tdap given after the age of 18.

As an incoming student, you are required to have a TB skin test or TB blood test (T-SPOT or QuantiFERON) administered within 6 months prior to the beginning of your program/class and submit documentation.

• If you choose a TB Skin Test for your pre-entrance health requirements, it must be read by a healthcare provider within 48 to 72 hours from the time the test was administered. 
• If you have a TB/PPD skin test administered off campus, submitted documentation must include: 
• Date test administered
• Signature of healthcare provider administering test
• Date of test read
• Final test results in mm
• Signature of the healthcare provider reporting the test results

For annual requirements, Loma Linda University has chosen the QuantiFERON blood test as our TB surveillance method and an annual QuantiFERON is required.

A TB/PPD skin test (PPD Mantoux) or TB Blood Test can be administered at Student Health Service or the healthcare facility of your choice. Make sure that you follow the screening guidelines noted in FAQ #12. 

Please Note: TB/PPD skin tests can be administered for pre-entrance health requirements however, the surveillance test for current students is the QuantiFERON blood test

TB/PPD skin tests will not be administered at Student Health Service on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday unless you have a healthcare provider who will read and document the results of your skin test within 48-72 hours of administration. Student Health Service is not available to read your TB/PPD skin test on Friday afternoon or over the weekend

If you are a new student, follow the guidelines on the Pre-Entrance Health Requirements form. 

If you are a current student, you will receive a QuantiFERON blood test each year. If you test positive, you will complete the TB Screening form and submit this information to Student Health Service. 

Please note: If you are a returning student and have tested negative in the past and your QuantiFERON blood test is newly positive, you will need to submit a completed TB Screening form as well as a current chest x-ray.

• The Hepatitis B immunization series requires the completion of 3 immunizations which are optimized when administered at “0” months (1st injection), 1 month (2nd injection), and 6 months (3rd injection).
• If you are submitting your immunization record, but have not completed the entire series before your registration deadline, you will receive temporary clearance in accordance with the suggested injection time-line listed above. Temporary clearance allows you to register for classes while an immunization series is in progress.

The history of chicken pox disease does not satisfy the pre-entrance health requirements. 

You can either submit a quantitative IgG Antibody titer report verifying your immunity to this disease OR you can submit records verifying that you have received the Varicella immunization series (2 injections administered at least one month apart).

Only students accepted into the Clinical Laboratory Science or Cytotechnology program must complete the Ishihara test.

You need to submit a copy of the official record for that immunization to Student Health Service via fax, e-email, or mail.
Fax: (909) 558-0433
E-mail: studenthealth@llu.edu
Mail: Student Health Service
          24785 Stewart Street Suite 111
          Loma Linda, CA 92354
 

Please Note: Proof of payment is not considered verification of immunizations.

See HIM guidelines for Student Health Service records

Yes, the flu vaccine is required for all on-campus students and it is typically given during the months of September and October every year. Student Health Service arranges flu clinics across campus.

There are rare exceptions related to flu declinations and are determined during a clinician visit at Student Health Service.