VCOM Student Policies and Procedures Handbook

Facilities Policies and Procedures

Campus Access

The campus is available for student access during announced times. The use of the VCOM Passport is needed for early morning, evening, and weekend access during approved hours. In the event of an emergency, courtesy phones, which are located at the front entrance and throughout the building, may be used to contact “911.”

Campus Safety and Fire Safety

Students receive maps showing features of the building, which include exits and stairway locations. In the event the fire alarm sounds, students will proceed immediately to the nearest exit or stairwell leading to an exit to leave the building. Students should become familiar with the site-specific fire plans. Students will proceed at a walking (not running) pace and use caution to avoid injury to other persons while exiting.

The Safety Policies & Procedures consisting of "Campus Safety" and "Fire and Safety Procedures" can be found in the Human Resources section of the VCOM website, and are distributed to all faculty, staff and students annually.

Crime Log

The most recent campus crime log is kept in the Facilities Office. No violent crimes have occurred on a VCOM campus to date.This page is updated annually. For the most recent events, you may check with the Director of Facilities on either campus or the Associate Vice President of Operations. Monthly logs are kept on both campuses.

Fire Log

A copy of the fire safety code is given to all new employees and new students annually during orientation week. In 2010, VCOM instituted an annual fire drill. This drill assures VCOM’s administration that all building occupants understand the emergency exit processes. The VCOM academic buildings on each campus have been inspected by the local fire marshal and is periodically reviewed. No fires have been reported in VCOM facilities in the past five years.

The above logs are kept at both the Virginia and Carolinas campuses.

Communication

Telephone and Beepers

Courtesy phones for local calls are located on campus. Students may not make long distance calls from telephones located on campus. In the case of a true emergency, telephone calls may be placed through the Office of Medical Education. Incoming calls for students when classes are in session are directed to Medical Education on the respective campus. Students will not be called from class or clinical services unless warranted by an extreme emergency. The person calling for a student must identify the situation as an emergency.

Students must have their own cell phones and email for communication. These are mandatory tools for communication for all students. Students may not make long distance calls from telephones located in the clinical sites and it is considered unprofessional and unethical conduct to do so. In the case of a true emergency, telephone calls may be placed through the Office of Medical Education or administration at the hospital. Students with cell phones and beepers should turn them off during class or scheduled laboratory sessions.

Email

Students must use the email address/system provided by VCOM. Students may register an alternative (personal) email address with the Director of Clinical Rotations with the stipulation this would serve only as possible backup for the VCOM email when on out of area rotations. The main line of communication is email between campus administrative offices and students at clinical sites. Students must check the email daily; it is an expectation that students will have read all notices within 24 hours.

Cancellation of Classes

Please note that one campus closing for inclement weather or emergencies does not necessarilty include the other campus.
VCOM’s official information line (540-231-1694 on the Virginia Campus 864-327-9900 on the Carolinas Campus) is one of the official source used to report school closings, delays, or any other important announcements; students can also access their VCOM email for this information. VCOM will inform local TV and radio stations regarding school closings or delays; however, the information line and VCOM email are the only official sources. If students see or hear an announcement on TV or radio, they should also call the information line or check their VCOM email to confirm the closing, delay, or announcement. The VCOM information line will handle approximately five calls at once, so students are asked to clear the line as soon as the message is heard.

Class rescheduling due to closings or delays will be announced via VCOM email. Students are responsible for checking their email and for making sure their email account does not exceed the space allotted so that they receive all official emails. Any time VCOM is listed as closed, students will not have access to the building.

Lockers

Lockers are provided to first and second year students and are adjacent to the anatomy lab. A large changing facility with showers is present for convenience.

Parking

Each student will receive one free parking tag for parking in VCOM designated student lots, adjacent to the building. Tags must be visible.

Students in the third and fourth years will park only in the VCOM designated student parking areas assigned by each clinical site or the sites marked for “all others.”

Pets

No pets, including, but not limited to: dogs, cats, birds, other animals, reptiles or fish are permitted in any of the campus buildings or clinical sites. With the exception of fish, the pets listed above are not accepted in clinical housing.

Photocopying and Printing

Photocopying is available in the library on each campus. VCOM permits no copyright violations or other violations of the law.

During the third and fourth years all photocopying and printing is the responsibility of the student. Such activity is generally not free at the clinical sites unless having to do directly with clinical records. Students are to maintain confidentiality in all patient information and are expected to follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules for the photocopying and/or printing of medical records. VCOM permits no copyright violations.

Posting of Notices

The posting of notices on school property requires a signature of approval on the notice by the Associate Vice President for Student Services (Virginia Campus) or the Director of Student Services (Carolinas Campus). Electronic notices via the class e-mail coordinators and/or on the screens in the lobby of the main building are encouraged in lieu of paper fliers.

VCOM Passport and IDs

VCOM Passports are issued at the beginning of the first year and are used for identification and access privileges such as: access to the campus building, access to facilities and services at Virginia Tech or Wofford College first and second year students only, identification while on clinical rotations, and use for certain services (such as the Blacksburg Transit on the Virginia Campus). VCOM Passports should be retained by the student at all times when on VCOM, Virginia Tech or Wofford campuses and while on clinical rotations. Lost VCOM Passports must be reported to the VCOM Office of the Registrar and must also be replaced at the student’s expense.

Nametags are issued to students by VCOM and are to be worn on outside clinical experiences. Nametags are not to be worn in non-clinical settings unless designated by VCOM faculty or administration. Students are provided with one nametag free of charge at the beginning of clinical experiences; it should be retained for the four years of study. Lost nametags must be reported to the Office of the Registrar and a replacement nametag must be issued through VCOM. Replacements are made at the student’s expense. The current cost for a replacement nametag is $25. Hospitals will generally also require a picture ID to be worn or carried. Students should always have a picture ID on their person when working in the clinical setting.