Of course they should. And of course Sen. Trent Garner will dispute a decision by doctors to protect children, increasingly at risk from the Delta variant. From a notice sent to me:
Arkansas Children’s Hospital Medical Executive Committee and the Arkansas Children’s Northwest Medical Executive Committee have implemented a mandatory vaccination requirement effective September 30, 2021. All medical staff (including active, limited active, consulting and Advanced Practice Professionals) must complete COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of medical privileges. This requirement is adopted, in concert with existing vaccination and screening requirements, to further safeguard the health of employees and their families, patients and their families, visitors and the community-at- large from infectious diseases that may be reduced by these vaccinations.
In making this decision, the medical executive leadership joins Arkansas Children’s leadership in a commitment to all leaders being 100% vaccinated. In addition, as of August 16, all Arkansas Children’s new hire offers require vaccination as a condition of employment. Individuals seeking an exemption from this requirement for medical or religious reasons should contact the medical staff office at ACH
This has impact at UAMS:
Please see the attached memo from Arkansas Children’s Hospital. They are announcing today a COVID vaccination requirement for their medical staff and it includes College of Medicine students and residents who rotate in Arkansas Children’s Hospital facilities in both Little Rock and NW Arkansas. Note that the deadline to be vaccinated is September 30 for rotating at Children’s.
If have been vaccinated within the UAMS system, the student/employee health will have your vaccination documented. If you were vaccinated elsewhere, then you will need to upload a scan/photo of your vaccination documentation into GUS just as you would for all other vaccinations. If you have already uploaded, no reason to do it again, but if you have not, please do so ASAP. You only need to document your vaccination to UAMS student/employee health; they will then inform ACH (and the VA, which has also instituted a vaccine requirement). So you will NOT have to document it separately to ACH, the VA, or other clinical facilities where our students rotate.
If you need to be vaccinated, UAMS offers several options, including walk in vaccine at the Family Medical Center, the Internal Medicine clinic on the 2nd floor of the outpatient clinic building, and at the women’s health clinic at Freeway Medical Center.
I understand that at both ACH and the VA, there is a process for medical or religious exemption; Dr. Tariq and I can direct you on the exemption process for either organization if needed. If you have questions about any of this, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Dr. Tariq!