Policies & Procedures

All housestaff members are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have received approval for an exception, as described below.  Fully vaccinated means that (1) two weeks have passed after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed, or otherwise approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or (2) two weeks after receiving a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed, or otherwise approved by the FDA. Additionally, all housestaff members must receive a COVID-19 booster as outlined below.

The deadline for receiving the first dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series or a single dose vaccine was September 19, 2021, and the deadline for receiving the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series within 30 days after the first dose (no later than October 19, 2021). The deadline for receiving a COVID booster is January 30, 2022 or 30 days after becoming eligible; whichever is later. It is the trainee’s responsibility to upload their COVID vaccination status into the NMI system by the above deadlines. 

To establish that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, housestaff members must provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to McGaw. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination may be met by providing one of the following: (1) a CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card or photograph of the card; (2) documentation of vaccination from a health care provider or electronic health record; or (3) state immunization records.

Beginning on September 20, 2021, any housestaff members who are not yet fully vaccinated or who are eligible for an exception will be required to get tested for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis.  Such testing must be done using a test that either has Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA or is being operated per the Laboratory Developed Test requirements by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In addition, such testing must be conducted on-site at a relevant training site, if available, or the housestaff member will be responsible for providing proof or confirmation of a negative test result obtained elsewhere.  Housestaff members are required to be tested using a PCR test if available.

Failure to comply with these requirement may result in disciplinary action including possible suspension or termination.

Exceptions 

Housestaff members may request an exception to the vaccination requirement due to a documented medical contraindication. These exceptions should be submitted through this request form. Housestaff members requesting an exception are required to provide supporting documentation outlining why their personal health prevents them from obtaining a vaccine. This documentation will require a letter documenting the contraindication from a licensed medical provider as well clarifying if another form of the vaccine might be indicated. Housestaff members who receive a vaccination exception will be required to participate in increased levels of COVID-19 testing (at least weekly) and other protocols as deemed appropriate by McGaw and/or relevant training sites.  Exception requests should be submitted to Nancy Parlapiano via n-parlapiano@northwestern.edu no later than September 24, 2021 to allow time for McGaw to consider the request and render a decision.

Reporting Deadline

Housestaff members not able to meet the requirement prior to arriving at McGaw (such as international housestaff members) will need to apply for an exception, submit to weekly testing, and comply with any other applicable training site policies or requirements in order to be eligible to start their training. Housestaff members who have not submitted proof of full vaccination or been approved for an exception by October 1, 2021 will not be able to participate in training or other activities.

Evaluation and feedback are critical to trainees’ development and continuous improvement in the educational process.  FULL POLICY

Each McGaw member hospital maintains its own individual policies. These policies include such topics as HIPAA, infection control, professionalism, discrimination and harassment, and impairment. Housestaff members are responsible for complying with any applicable hospital policies and procedures and should review them from time to time, as they may be subject to change. Failure to comply with hospital policies, including those in place at the hospital at which a housestaff member is based and at any hospital at which the housestaff member rotates may result in disciplinary action from McGaw. Please note that web links to some hospital-specific policies and procedures are provided below.

McGaw strictly prohibits discrimination or harassment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection status, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge from military service, or any other Protected Categories. FULL POLICY

Programs are encouraged to consult with McGaw with questions regarding third party requests for verification and/or adjudication of training; especially regarding an individual subject to corrective or disciplinary action. FULL POLICY