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Health Science Background Information Policy
All Health Science students who will be providing direct patient care in health care institutions regulated by the MS Department of Health should be aware that Mississippi law requires background checks for individuals seeking employment in a health care facility.
According to the Mississippi State Law Code 43-11-13, an individual may not be eligible for employment if the criminal history record check discloses a felony conviction, guilty plea or plea of nolo contendere to a felony of possession or sale of drugs, murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, rape, sexual battery, sex offense listed in Section 45-33-23 (h), child abuse, arson, grand larceny, burglary, gratification of lust or aggravated assault, or felonious abuse and/or battery of a vulnerable adult that has not been reversed on appeal or for which a pardon has not been granted.
Clinical agencies have the right to refuse employment or eligibility to participate in clinical experiences based on background information. Students who have any eliminating background record will not be allowed admission to any health science program. A student may also be denied the ability to progress in a program of study based on eliminating background information.
The background record check is completed by submission of fingerprints by MDCC to the Mississippi Department of Health. The student is responsible for the fingerprinting fee. The background check MUST be completed prior to admission to a Health Science program or prior to clinical experiences, as defined by the program. Students who have a current background clearance letter processed through a Mississippi clinical agency and the Mississippi State Department of Health may submit that documentation to the program director/supervisor. If the background clearance expires during a student’s program of study, the student must repeat the background records check. Students will also be subject to repeat a background record check based on clinical agency requirements, changes in the Mississippi law, rules, or regulations, or any suspicion of criminal behavior.
Students admitted to Health Science Programs may be required to complete additional paperwork and pay additional fees related to the background check requirement.
Students assigned to some agencies may also be required to have additional background checks to comply with specific clinical agency contracts which may include criminal record check, credit check, driving history check and license check.
Students must be able to attend clinical agency sites in order to meet the requirements of the specific Health Science Program.