As a part of contractual agreements with externship agencies, students may be required to fulfill the following requirements. Failure to submit all requirements may result in dismissal from the program. All requirements must remain current throughout the program or prior to starting the externship based on specific program requirements. It is important to note that the contracted externship agency agreements are not negotiable in their requirements. Subject to externship site requirements, students who do not have documentation that evidences acceptable criminal background history, negative drug screen, immunization, and health clearance may not be accepted at the externship site.
Students are responsible for all costs of program immunizations and medical clearance required for admission and continuation within the program. In addition, students are responsible for all costs that may be associated with injury or illness while on campus, in the learning laboratories, at an externship experience, or while performing other campus/program related activities during enrollment in the program.
Current BLS CPR Card
Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification by the American Heart Association must remain current while the student is enrolled in the program. The College must maintain a current signed copy of the student’s CPR card within the student file. Students will be provided BLS for Healthcare Providers training prior to the completion of the initial 18 weeks of the program, prior to any externship or clinical activities. Upon successful completion of BLS for Healthcare Providers training, students are required to always have their physical CPR card on them during class, laboratory, and externship activities. If the CPR card expires during the program, the student may not participate in any externship activities until the CPR certification is renewed, and the student may be dropped from the program until it is renewed.
Cleared Background Check
Students in the Pharmacy Technician program must submit to and pass a criminal background check and be cleared per Fortis College policy. Results of the CBC must be in the student file prior to starting the program. Students must maintain a clear criminal background while enrolled in the program. Students must report to the program director in writing, any change in their criminal background or current status within 24 hours of occurrence (includes new citations and/or charges regardless of the pending or final adjudication). Students who fail to report any new citation or charge may be dismissed from the program.
Negative Drug Screen
Students in the Pharmacy Technician program may be required to submit to and pass a drug screen in the term prior to starting externship. Any student whose test results turn out to be inconclusive (such as diluted sample or insufficient sample) will be required to be retested at his or her own expense. Acceptable test results must be documented prior to the student being assigned to an externship site.
The applicant must submit to and pass a drug screen and must be in the student file prior to starting the program. Inconclusive test results, to include a dilute and/or insufficient sample, will require the applicant to be retested within 24 hours at his/her expense at a College designated collection center. A second inconclusive test result, to include a dilute and/or insufficient sample will be considered a positive drug screen. Students will not be granted admission to the program with a positive, insufficient, dilute, or inconclusive test result. Random drug and alcohol testing may be done throughout the program. Failure to comply or the inability to provide a sample within one hour of the requested random drug/alcohol test may result in program dismissal. A dilute or insufficient sample result on a random drug screen will be considered a positive result. The student may be dropped from the program as per the Substance Abuse and Drug Screening policy.
Additionally, some externship sites for programs other than Pharmacy Technician may require the externship student to submit a background check and/or drug screen prior to the start of externship. Program personnel at each campus will work with externship students in the completion of these requirements.
Student Health Requirements
It is essential that students be able to perform a number of physical and cognitive activities in the classroom, externship and learning laboratory portions of the program. Students are not to enter any externship facility with contagious conditions or injuries. A student must consult with the externship instructor if an illness, medical condition, or injury is present prior to entering the externship facility. The College or externship agency reserves the right to request a medical release from a health care provider if an identified condition, illness, and/or injury may cause a potential safety risk to the student, patient, or others. Additional health care clearance documentation may be required. Any additional requirements will be at the student’s expense. Examples of medical issues include, but are not limited to: limitations required after surgery or accident, immuno-suppression, pregnancy, back injury, behavioral health, etc.
Students may not enter or practice within an externship area under the influence of a controlled substance or any medication which may impair judgment, alertness, or physical agility regardless of if prescribed by a healthcare provider. The externship instructor and program director will be the final deciding authority as to their perception if the student may practice safely within the externship environment. The externship agency may be consulted as well.
NOTE: Any changes in physical or mental health must be reported immediately to the program director within 24 hours or before entering an externship area (whichever comes first).
Students must submit the approved physical and health clearance forms to the College prior to the designated deadline.
NOTE: Students with medical and/or mental health conditions which may place the student or patient’s safety at risk may not be eligible for admission or continuation in the program. Risk assessment is at the discretion of the Dean of Education in consultation with the Regional Dean of Education.