Prior to shadowing in Barnes-Jewish Hospital, students are required to demonstrate that they have been screened to rule out the presence of active or latent TB infection.

The test that is currently recommended is a blood test called the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test. 

Students who have secured a spot in MedPrep II may get the test done at the Habif Health and Wellness Center on the South 40. Please read the information below for the details. 

Where, When, and How Do I Get the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test?
  • Go to the Habif Health and Wellness Center on the South 40 AFTER they have notified you that a test has been ordered for you. Please do not go to Habif before they have contacted you.
  • It takes 5-7 days to receive the results of the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test, so students are encouraged to get the test immediately AFTER they have notified you. The test result must be received by Erin Gerrity, the course coordinator, within 30 days of registration or one’s spot will be forfeited and given to the next person on the wait list. Ms. Gerrity can be reached at gerrity@wustl.edu.
  • Once you have been notified, you can then go there between 8am-3pm (M-F) to be tested.
  • Bring your health insurance card and a method of payment. TB testing is not a requirement that is specific to MedPrep II. It is a requirement of Barnes-Jewish Hospital for all shadowers and volunteers. While a student’s health insurance will pay for a portion of the cost, there will still be a portion to be paid by the student. No funds are available from the course for this testing. 
  • When your test result is back, usually in 5-7 days, a Habif team member will send you a secure message with the result. You will also be able to see it in your immunization record on the Habif student portal.
  • If your test is negative, forward the result to Erin Gerrity, the MedPrep coordinator, at gerrity@wustl.edu
  • If your test is positive, you should still forward the result to Erin Gerrity, but you will also be asked to make an appointment with a healthcare provider at Habif to discuss your result.  
  • If you have any questions, you can either call Habif at (314) 935-6677 or email Leslie Rigsby, RN at HabifNursing@wustl.edu.
Why a QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test instead of a PPD test?

There are two types of tests that are available to rule out the presence of TB infection.

The first test is an intradermal skin test known as the PPD (Purified Protein Derivative). This test is also known as the Mantoux Test or the Tuberculin Sensitivity Test (TST).

In this test, a small injection is made underneath the skin on the forearm. 48-72 hours later the patient must return to their provider’s office to have the injection site checked for the extent of skin reaction to the injection.

If an individual prefers to have this test performed, Barnes-Jewish Hospital requires two PPDs to be performed at least one week apart from each other with BOTH tests performed within 12 months of shadowing.

The second test is a blood test known as an Interferon-Gamma Release Assay (IGRA). There are two main types of IGRA tests available – the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test and the T-spot test. In contrast to the PPD tests, only one QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test or T-spot test is required.

We recommend that students have an IGRA (i.e. a QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test) performed. The reason is that to have two PPD tests completed, the student must make an appointment with their provider a total of 4 times over a period of 10-14 days (i.e. having the 1st PPD “placed,” returning 48-72 hours later to have it “read,” and then returning a week after the first PPD placement to have the 2nd PPD placed and then returning again 48-72 hours later to have it read).

With the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test, there is no need to return to the provider’s office for a second test.

Just like the PPD tests, however, the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test must be completed within 12 months of the start of this course.

The other benefit of having the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test performed instead of a PPD is the lower rate of false positive test results for those students who have had a BCG vaccination when they were a child. In fact, if a student has had a BCG vaccination in the past, the QuantiFERON-TB Gold test is required.

Is there a cost to the student for TB testing?

TB testing is not a requirement that is specific to MedPrep II. It is a requirement of Barnes-Jewish Hospital for all shadowers and volunteers. While a student’s health insurance will pay for a portion of the cost, there will still be a portion to be paid by the student. No funds are available from the course for this testing. 

What if I had a BCG vaccination in the past?

Vaccination with BCG may cause a false positive reaction to a TB skin test. A positive reaction to a TB skin test may be due to the BCG vaccine itself or due to infection with TB bacteria.

TB blood tests (IGRAs), unlike the TB skin test, are not affected by prior BCG vaccination and are not expected to give a false-positive result in people who have received BCG. For this reason, students who have had a BCG vaccination in the past will be required to have the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test.

What if I’ve had a positive test in the past?

If you’ve had a positive test in the past, you will not need to have further testing. Instead, you will need to have a chest x-ray performed within one year of the start of this course to demonstrate no radiographic evidence of active TB and will need to complete the Tuberculin History Review Form to confirm that you have no clinical symptoms of TB.

The results of the chest x-ray and the review form should be submitted to Erin Gerrity, the course coordinator,  by the first day of class.

What if my QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test is positive?

If your QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test is positive, you will still be permitted to shadow but must demonstrate that you do not have active TB.

This requires the need to have a chest x-ray performed to demonstrate no radiographic evidence of active TB and completion of the the Tuberculin History Review Form to confirm that you have no clinical symptoms of active TB.

If your result is positive, you should give the results to the MedPrep coordinator and will be asked to make an appointment with a healthcare provider at Habif Health and Wellness Center to discuss your result. 

The QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test results, the chest x-ray results, and the Tuberculin History Review Form should be submitted to Ms. Gerrity before you are able to shadow.