onlytemp Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 so i was gonna get the dTaP booster for med school... but i had a dT booster last year (aug 07).... so i can't get the dTaP for another 5 years because pertussis vaccine doesn't come on its own and can't get dTaP that often.... anyone in similar situation? is there anything i could do? is pertussis a big problem in hospitals for pre-clearkship? i guess the potential risk increase dramatically when i start clerkship, right? i heard that some travelors to pertussis-endemic areas can shorten the 5 years gap and take the vaccine earlier... so i could ask for a dTaP booster 3 years from now when i start clerkship...? any comments appreciated. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satsuma Posted July 27, 2008 Report Share Posted July 27, 2008 dTap isn`t a routine immunization for adults. You aren`t required to have it for med school. What makes you specifically worried about it? You will probably see a case of pertussis in your clerkship. But the most serious complications tend to happen in young children and the elderly. Even older children usually don`t need to be hospitalised if they get it. If you are concerned you really should talk to your doctor. It isn`t the end of the world to have repeated immunizations...just increases the chances of local reactions I believe (like arm swelling etc). But I have never encountered anyone worried about pertussis ...you probably should talk to your doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlytemp Posted July 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2008 dTap isn`t a routine immunization for adults. You aren`t required to have it for med school. What makes you specifically worried about it? You will probably see a case of pertussis in your clerkship. But the most serious complications tend to happen in young children and the elderly. Even older children usually don`t need to be hospitalised if they get it. If you are concerned you really should talk to your doctor. It isn`t the end of the world to have repeated immunizations...just increases the chances of local reactions I believe (like arm swelling etc). But I have never encountered anyone worried about pertussis ...you probably should talk to your doctor. o hey satsuma, thanks for your reply the reason i asked is its one of the things to be immunized against on the UofT immunization form... and i'm worried about it because if i do get whopping cough, i'll cough for a long time and be contagious.... which means it'll significantly affect school right? yah i am going to talk to my doc about taking the vaccine after 3 years instead of 5.... just wanna get some different perspectives. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie Posted July 27, 2008 Report Share Posted July 27, 2008 Hey, I had a similar situation when I started at UofT. I got the DPT (diptheria, polio, tetanus) sans pertussis when I started med school, because my doctor didn't have the one that contained pertussis. UofT seemed fine with me not having the pertussis vaccine until the beginning of my 4th year, when they decided we really did need pertussis, so I got DTaP three years after my previous booster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerroger Posted August 1, 2008 Report Share Posted August 1, 2008 so i was gonna get the dTaP booster for med school... but i had a dT booster last year (aug 07).... so i can't get the dTaP for another 5 years because pertussis vaccine doesn't come on its own and can't get dTaP that often.... I was in a similar boat a few weeks ago. Yet, my doctor simply gave me the new booster. He said that doubling up on the others was ok for one who is at high risk of being exposed to pertussis in the future. Hope you get it all sorted soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tearless Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 can anybody from ualberta say anything about this? i don't think Td booster after 3 years will be a major issue, you should be able to get dTaP if you really wanted, i'm considering the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemgirl Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 I asked at the health center at my school about this... right now, the only reason I would get it is that McGill medical school requires you to have it if you want to do an elective there... even if you have dT already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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