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Immunizations
Student Health Service provides the immunizations (vaccines) required for the health and safety of students and
patients on site. Detailed pre-registration requirements are available in the pre-registration brochures below.
To receive immunizations, please see Elsa Cadena, R.N., who is located in the main Student Health Service office,
60 Haven Avenue, Ground Floor. If Elsa is unavailable, another nurse will assist you.
All full-time and part-time Columbia University Medical Center students are required to be immune to measles
(rubeola), mumps, and rubella as a condition of enrollment. According to New York State law, you must also
sign the Meningococcal Response Form. Non-clinical students (SPH, GSAS, Institute of Human Nutrition) submit
this form online at registration. Clinical students must return their signed form to the SHS clinical office.
The form is available either in the pre-registration brochure or can be downloaded here.
For more information on the vaccine, follow the links below.
Center for Disease
Control Vaccine and Disease Information
National
Immunization Program Information
Clinical Students Pre-registration Brochure
Non-Clinical Students Pre-registration Brochure
Available Immunizations (Vaccines)
Flu vaccine
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Influenza
Menomune/Mentactra
MMR
Polio (IPV)
Tdap
Typhoid (killed)
Varicella
PPD
Gardasil (HPV vaccine)
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No charge
$70
$70
No charge
$85
$25
$28
$45 (tetanus with acellular pertussis)
$50
$90
$15
$130 (3 shots; must be ordered individually)*
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*Financial Assistance for Gardasil
SHS is not been able to offer HPV vaccine under the Aetna insurance plan because of the expense of
the vaccine (~ $400 per series), and the large number of women at Columbia (more than 1150) who would be
eligible. If you have outside insurance, please check with your carrier to see if it is covered.
We have learned that Merck has a patient assistance program for those with NO income or other financial resources,
e.g., family help. The process is cumbersome, and requires at least one hour. The student must remain in the SHS
during this time because a series of forms must be signed, and faxed back to Merck to await their approval. The first
request to Merck is always denied because our students have insurance. If there is no income, and perhaps debts, an
appeal is filed. For the few students who have completed this process, the appeal has been granted.
- Because this process is cumbersome and time-consuming for the clinician as well as the patient, SHS can
offer only one Gardasil Patient Assistance appointment daily.
- Before making this appointment, please discuss the appropriateness of the vaccine for you with
your clinician.
- Fill out the application forms (available at the front desk) at the time you make your appointment.
Eligibility Criteria
- Women only, age 26 or younger at the time the vaccine series is started (vaccine efficacy is greatest
in younger women). If you have begun the vaccine as a self-pay, and are now 27, you will NOT be eligible
for the Merck program.
- Supported entirely from financial aid
- No income from savings or work
- NO assistance or possibility of assistance from family. You must not be claimed as a dependent on your
parent(s) 2007 tax return
- Know that this process must be repeated for each of the 3 shots
- Attest that you will complete the series through self-payment if Merck denies you on the second
or third dose
- Attest that you will pay for the dose if Merck fails to reimburse the SHS
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