Skip to table of contents

Skip to main content

6.3.2.9 - Vaccine Declinations

Updated: 3/19/2025

OUHSC program students can submit declinations for a required vaccination, either on a medical basis or for religious reasons. Please note that a separate form is required for each vaccination being declined. The below steps outline the process for submitting a declination form for consideration:

  1. Complete the Vaccine Declination Form for OUHSC & OU-Tulsa Students
  2. Based on your declination reason, please gather the documentation as requested on your Vaccine Declination Form.
  3. Submit your completed Vaccine Declination Form and required documentation to the following email address, based upon your geographic campus location, using the subject line Vaccine Declination Form:
  4. Following submission, a member of the Student Accommodation Services team will be in communication with you, if needed, and will return your Vaccination Declination Form with their signature, if approved.
  5. Do not upload this form to Complio until you receive notification of approval along with a copy of the signed form. 

A separate Vaccine Declination Form, and supporting documentation, are required for each vaccination being declined. Additionally, if declining the influenza vaccine, that declination form must be submitted after September 15th and is required annually.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  1. Why are vaccinations required?

HSC program students are required to receive immunizations to protect the patients, visitors, and the healthcare providers they work and train with.

  1. If I am unsure about the vaccine, who can I call?

You can contact your primary care provider or Student Health to discuss the research and safety of the vaccines. The phone number is 405-271-9675.

  1. How long does it take to review my documentation for a declination?

Allow 15 business days (not including holidays, school breaks, or weekends) for review. The requirement will be non-compliant until an approved declination or appropriate vaccination/titer proof is uploaded.

  1. If my declination is approved, how will I protect my patients?

Students will visit with their program/college student service team to understand the next steps and possible program limitations. Generally, all unvaccinated patient-facing students will be required to mask in all indoor campus facilities.

  1. What happens if my declination is declined?

Students will visit with their program/college student service team to understand the next steps and possible program limitations.

  1. Will declining vaccinations be a challenge to completing my program?

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center does not control the vaccination policies of the facilities, hospitals, or physician groups that provide clinical experiences for our students. If you are not allowed to participate in a particular clinical experience due to your declining vaccination, the University may not be able to find you an alternate clinical experience without fundamentally altering the program. If you are unable to complete the required clinical experiences, you will be unable to fulfill the requirements of your program, eliminating the opportunity to fulfill the requirements for graduation. In other words, although you may be able to participate in the didactic portions of the program if you decline required vaccinations, the University cannot guarantee that you will be able to ultimately graduate from the program.

Return to top