The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) continues to implement a number of health guidelines to protect the wellbeing and safety of the college’s students, faculty and staff.

Students and employees are asked to engage in physical distancing of at least six feet, wear face coverings at all times, and stay home if sick. Temperature checks continue to be performed at entrances, and enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures for the facility are followed daily. Questions or concerns from students should be directed to Liz Watson, Director of Student Affairs. Employees should contact Shannon Blackstock, Director of Human Resources.

ICOM’s COVID-19 Task Force continues to meet regularly and implement local, state and federal safety recommendations. Contingency plans have been created, should the need arise to return to distance learning.

Academics

The 2020-21 Academic Year includes a hybrid of in-person and online instruction. All group sessions and lectures are provided online. On-site training occurs for Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE), Osteopathic Principles & Practice (OPP), Anatomy, and other procedures as needed in order to allow students to progress through their training. On-site training is scheduled in small groups to limit the number of students on campus at any given time and students and employees wear N-95 masks and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Examinations are held on site with appropriate social distancing and PPE. ICOM provides extreme flexibility for students needing to miss an event due to illness, exposure, or quarantine.

Extracurricular Activities

Groups may meet with up to 10 individuals in person if social distancing, masking, and sanitization may be maintained. Virtual meetings are encouraged. Some group activities that occur outside with appropriate precautions may be considered for approval for greater than 10 individuals. Requests should be presented to Student Services for review.

Clinical Rotations

Third year students are instructed to follow the guidelines of their base hospital or clinical training site and wear appropriate personal protective equipment as directed. Clinical sites are asked not to assign third-year students directly to COVID treatment floors, but it is understood that students will come into contact with COVID-positive or COVID-suspected patients at any and all healthcare sites. Third year students are asked to report if they have symptoms or are COVID positive to the Office of Clinical Affairs and to their Regional Assistant Dean.

Applicant Interviews

All interviews for prospective students to ICOM will be held virtually this year. As conditions permit, prospective students may have the opportunity in the future to visit the campus, but this is not allowed at the current time. In the meantime, please watch this virtual tour of ICOM’s campus.

Deep Cleaning Protocol

The deep cleaning protocol is an intensified detailed cleaning of the entire facility. ICOM uses several different methods of cleaning to provide a clean and safe environment that exceeds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for COVID-19 disinfecting.

• Disinfectant fogging: Provides chemical disinfectants to areas as fogs or mist. It is a procedure that lasts between 15-30 minutes. The fog is used to reduce the number of airborne microorganisms while it applies disinfectant to all surfaces immediately. This method is mostly used in schools, health care facilities, and large open areas.
• Disinfecting hard surfaces: All high touch hard surfaces such as tabletops, countertops, door handles, chairs, and restrooms are sprayed with an EPA- and CDC-approved disinfectant and wiped thoroughly.
• Floor Cleaning: All floors are disinfected with a floor scrubber or mopped. Carpeted areas are treated with the disinfectant fogging process.

In the event of a laboratory-confirmed COVID-positive case on campus, the college will immediately enter into a three-day closure to provide adequate time for cleaning and sanitization.

Friendly Reminders

Students using the group study rooms on campus must still practice social distancing and must sanitize the tables before and after use. It is the students’ responsibility to wipe the white boards after use and sanitize the markers, if used.

Students, faculty and staff are also encouraged to follow six important reminders:

• Wash your hands
• Wear a face covering
• Practice physical distancing of at least six feet
• Stay home if you or someone in your household are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Disinfect surfaces and high-touch objects regularly

Being a part of the ICOM community means that each of us must take steps to stay well ourselves and protect each other, both on campus and in the community. We ask everyone to do their part to help keep ICOM safe from the spread of COVID-19.

All members of the ICOM community have a shared responsibility in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and protecting our students, colleagues, families, and vulnerable populations. Individual personal conduct consistent with prevention guidelines is strongly encouraged, and we thank you for your continued commitment.

For more information, visit idahocom.org/coronavirus. Learn how COVID-19 has impacted ICOM’s application review process by clicking here.