A. Requirement and Frequency

The Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHCO) now requires background checks for all students completing educational experiences. Many community pharmacies also require background checks on employees working in the pharmacy department. Prior to assignment on Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy practice experiences, students must satisfactorily pass two criminal background checks (one prior to the introductory practice experiences and a second prior to the advanced practice experiences). The university has contracted with an outside vendor (Adam Safeguard) to facilitate this process. This background check is strictly for purposes of the Introductory and Advanced Practice Experiences and does NOT replace the background check required for the New Jersey state licensure exam.

Effective for the Class of 2010, criminal background checks will be required during the spring semester of the second professional year and during the spring semester of the third professional year. Effective for the Class of 2011 and beyond, criminal background checks will be required during the spring semester of the first and third professional years.

Students suspended or taking a leave of absence from the program may be required to complete a new criminal background check prior to returning at the discretion of the dean or his or her designee.

B. Positive Result

If a positive result or a "hit" is obtained on the criminal background check for any student, the following policy will be followed.

First, once the background check is received by the School of Pharmacy, the student will be required to provide a complete written explanation including time, date, and specific details surrounding the arrest. Students are encouraged to provide any additional documentation such as police reports or other court documents, which may help in providing an explanation to potential rotation sites.

The School of Pharmacy reserves the right to pursue judicial action under the University Code of Student Conduct, if appropriate. Results of such action (e.g., suspension, expulsion) may prevent a student from completing the program on time or at all.

If judicial action is deemed necessary/appropriate, the student's rotation assignment through the rotation selection process via the Pharmacy Education Management System (PEMS) may be delayed. If no university judicial action is deemed necessary, after rotation assignments have been made, each preceptor for a student with a hit on his or her criminal background check (CBC) will be notified of the CBC results and given the opportunity to accept or decline the student. Sites or preceptors requesting more information will be provided the written explanation of the student along with any documentation provided to the school.

If a site declines the student, an alternative rotation site with open availability for the same cycle will be identified and given the opportunity to accept or decline the student based CBC results. Three attempts per rejected rotation will be made to find alternative sites.

In the event that the above circumstances (e.g., no sites agree to accept the student or judicial action results in expulsion) prevent a student from completing the doctor of pharmacy degree, the School of Pharmacy would work with the student to help him or her to try to transfer to another unit of the university and pursue a degree in another major. However, decisions regarding accepting transfer students are made by the "receiving" unit and acceptance cannot be guaranteed.