Drug Screening

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine requires a drug screen upon matriculation and may be repeated at any time for reasonable suspicion or cause. The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine defines reasonable suspicion testing based on the following criteria:

• Direct observation of the student’s abnormal behavior
• Change in behavior such as absenteeism, tardiness, or significant deterioration of performance
• A reliable report of drug use provided by a credible source that has been corroborated by the Senior Dean for Academic Affairs or the Senior Dean for Student Affairs
• The student is believed to pose a risk to self or others
• The student is involved in an accident or incident that results in potential harm or actual harm to another person.

Screening may be requested by patient-centered learning facilitators, block directors (or their designees), the Senior Dean for Academic Affairs, the Senior Dean for Student Affairs, Virginia Tech Carilion security officers, or other appropriate agents of Virginia Tech Carilion. Students who refuse testing will be referred to the MSPPC for possible sanctions. 

The results of drug screens are sent to the Senior Dean for Student Affairs for review and are confidential and available only to officials with an absolute need to know. Students with verified abnormal tests are in violation of the Attributes of Professionalism and will be brought before the MSPPC for review and further action as outlined in the Violations of the Attributes of Professionalism and/or Teacher-Learner Contract.