? Do medical students have to be routinely tested for hepatitis C?
Updated January 2005
Early clinical experience in the new medical curriculum means that, as of 2005, students will be tested for blood borne viruses (BBVs) as soon as possible after admission to medical school.
This requirement is for the protection of patients and also ensures that any students unknowingly carrying BBVs are detected, appropirately treated and counselled at the earliest opportunity. Students who are found to be infected by a BBV will be allowed to continue on their medical course leading to full medical registration provided that they formally accept the requirement they will not be allowed to eprform exposure prone procedures while infectious, and that careers in some specialties may not be open to them.