SAIT School of Health and Public Safety students are required to complete the program and practicum requirements form to:
- acknowledge practicum and confidentiality requirements,
- consent to participate in program-specific activities, and
- agree to the use of personal information collected for program and practicum purposes.
Once you are registered for your program, you will receive an email regarding program and practicum requirements. This email will provide you with instructions on completing this form, which is a requirement for the start of your program.
Meeting the requirements for pre-practicum
As part of the pre-practicum preparation process, you will be required to collect specific health and non-health-related documents necessary for the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Placement (Practicum). These documents ensure you meet your placement requirements, and it is safe for you to work in their setting.
In the email communication about program and practicum requirements, you will receive all the information and the deadlines you need to complete your pre-practicum requirements successfully.
If you haven’t received this email by the start of your Program, please reach out to the Work Integrated Learning Administrator.
Requirements per program
Refer to the table below for your program-specific documentation requirements that will need to be validated.
| Immunizations | CPR Certificate | N95 Mask-fit testing | Police Information Check | Standard First Aid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced and Primary Care Paramedic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a |
| Dental Assisting | Yes | Yes | n/a | Yes | n/a |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a |
| Early Childhood Education | n/a | Yes | n/a | Yes | Yes |
| Fitness and Wellness Management | n/a | Yes | n/a | Yes | Yes |
| Health Care Leadership* | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Health Information Management | Yes | n/a | n/a | Yes | n/a |
| Medical Device Reprocessing Technician | Yes | n/a | n/a | Yes | n/a |
| Medical Laboratory Assistant | Yes | n/a | Yes | Yes | n/a |
| Medical Laboratory Technology | Yes | n/a | Yes | Yes | n/a |
| Medical Office Assistant & Unit Clerk | Yes | n/a | n/a | Yes | n/a |
| Medical Radiologic Technology | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a |
| Nuclear Medicine Technology | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a |
| Ophthalmic and Optometric Assisting | n/a | n/a | n/a | Yes | n/a |
| Optician | n/a | n/a | n/a | Yes | n/a |
| Pharmacy Assistant | n/a | n/a | n/a | Yes | n/a |
| Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a |
| Respiratory Therapy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a |
Overview of pre-practicum requirements
To align with Alberta Health Services’ Standard for Immunization of Post-secondary Healthcare Students and the standards of other SAIT practicum partners, SAIT is required to maintain accurate immunization records of all students on practicum.
Students enrolled in SAIT’s School of Health and Public Safety (“SAIT Healthcare Students”) are required to provide copies of their immunization records prior to, and as a condition of, participating in any work-integrated learning practicum or clinical experiences.
SAIT Healthcare Students undertaking their work-integrated learning practicum or clinical experiences in a health care facility may encounter clients/patients or materials from individuals with both diagnosed and undiagnosed infections. This places SAIT Healthcare Students at risk of exposure to various diseases, including vaccine-preventable diseases. There is also a risk that healthcare students could transmit an undiagnosed vaccine-preventable disease to others.
Maintenance of immunity through immunization is an important preventative and infection control strategy which safeguards post-secondary students and protects health-care workers, clients, and patients. Therefore, SAIT strongly recommends that SAIT Healthcare Students be fully immunized and follow Alberta Health Services’ immunizations recommended for Health Care Students.
Important:
- Deadlines and specific instructions will be provided in the "Pre- Placement Immunization" PDF document, included as part of the Practicum Readiness package you will receive by email before the start of your program.
- SAIT Dental Assisting students and immunization for Hepatitis B – Primary Series: Dental Assisting students participate in clinical labs early in the first term of study. If you are not already vaccinated, contact the SAIT Health Clinic or another immunization provider to begin your Hepatitis vaccination series as soon as you are accepted into the program.
Your program may require a current CPR and/or a Standard First Aid certificate. Some programs only accept a Heart and Stroke Foundation BLS provider CPR certificate, which must be valid for the duration of your practicum.
Important:
- Do not complete any BLS, First Aid or CPR certificate before receiving your program's practicum requirements.
- All deadlines and specific instructions regarding the BLS/CPR Certificate required for your program will be provided in your Practicum Readiness package in the PDF document "Pre- Practicum Requirements". You will receive this package by email before the start of your program.
- Failure to complete this process may lead to ineligibility for practicums.
In compliance with Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Code 2009, students in some SAIT Health and Public Safety programs are Fit‐Tested for Respiratory Masks prior to their practicum.
Fit testing is arranged for students to complete at the SAIT campus with program staff prior to the practicum and is used to determine which make and model of an N95 respiratory mask an individual should use.
Important:
- Your program will provide you with instructions on how to book a fitting appointment closer to the start of your practicum.
- Some medical conditions may require a medical assessment prior to completion of your N95 mask fit testing. Review the N95 PDF for additional information.
- Failure to complete an N95 mask fit test may result in a restricted practicum and/or limited employment.
To align with the Protection for Persons in Care Act, SAIT’s School of Health and Public Safety and practicum sites require that you must:
- Provide proof of a clear Criminal Record Check (CRC) or Police Information Check (PIC) with or without Vulnerable Sector Search (PIC with VSS) as required by your program.
- Inform the Academic Chair of your program of any change in your Criminal Records, criminal convictions, or criminal charges throughout the term of your enrollment, which may preclude your eligibility for practicum(s). Failure to self-report any changes in your Criminal Records may result in the immediate termination from your program.
Important:
- Do not secure a PIC or CRC in advance. All deadlines and specific instructions regarding the Police Information Check required for your program will be provided in your Practicum Readiness package in the PDF document "Pre- Practicum Requirements". You will receive this package by email before the start of your program.
- Failure to complete this process may lead to ineligibility for practicums.
How do I submit my required practicum documents?
SAIT has partnered with Synergy Gateway, an online platform, to assist you in successfully completing these requirements. It allows you to upload your required practicum documents and have them validated online.
Electronic Record Verification (ERV) process: Verifying your practicum readiness documentation with Synergy Gateway
Synergy Gateway is the online platform our students use to verify their practicum readiness documents. The process is called Electronic Record Verification (ERV). Synergy Gateway is available through a secure username and password.
Login instructions will be emailed to your SAIT email account prior to the start of your program. Once you receive your login information, please create a student profile.
Confirm your login information
Confirm that you have received your login information from Synergy. If you cannot locate this information, please contact Synergy and open a Helpdesk ticket.
Collect your documents
Collect all required practicum readiness documents by the given deadline, listed in the “Program and Practicum Readiness Package” email. You will receive this email three months before the start of your program.
If you are unable to locate this email by the start of your program, please contact practicum@sait.ca. Start the process early, as some requirements may take an extended period (for example, immunization requirements, Police Information Check).
Upload your documents
Upload your practicum readiness documents into your Synergy account. Refer to the “Important Forms” and “Video Library” sections on the left side of the dashboard for instructions on uploading your documents.
Visit the Verified Knowledge Base for further guidance.
Book an appointment
Book an ERV appointment by using the "Scheduler" tab and get your practicum readiness documents verified before the given deadline. Verifying your documents is an online process that can be completed without attending. Synergy will notify you about your ERV's result in two business days.
Pay the fees
You will need to pay a fee to get your documents verified. To avoid paying additional appointment fees, ensure all your practicum readiness documents have been uploaded prior to your ERV appointment.
| Electronic Records Verification (ERV) service fee | Initial appointment | Follow-up appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Personal information: Certifications, declarations, consents, and other non-PHI requirements | $27.50 | $10 |
| Personal information: PHI, including immunization and vaccination requirements, and other personal information (PI) | $51 | $10 |
Students must renew their expired certifications to remain eligible for practicum placement. Upon renewal, certificates must be validated with Synergy with a follow-up appointment.
You may encounter infectious diseases through contact with patients, supplies, equipment, and biological specimens. To ensure your protection and the protection of others, you will be expected to practice universal precautions.
Practicum placement agreements
A legal contract must cover the School of Health and Public Safety students who are participating in a clinical practicum rotation. The following two examples of contracts are for your reference and do not need to be printed or signed.
Health and Public Safety programs will organize one work-integrated learning placement (practicum/clinical placement) for a student. Should the student decline the practicum placement, for any reason other than a protected ground, or should the placement be withdrawn from the student due to safety or behavioural concerns, the program will not support the placement of the student in a second work-integrated learning opportunity.
Prepare for orientation
Read the following resources that apply to all Health and Public Safety programs.
During the program, you may be expected to serve as a volunteer patient and have learning exercises performed on you by an instructor or other students. As a student and in the working world you will be required to work with individuals of all genders, sexual orientations, cultures, religions, and economic statuses.
Contact us
Have questions? We're here to help! Connect with our experienced team of advisors to get the answers you need.
School of Health and Public Safety
Senator Burns Building, SAIT Main Campus
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Email - hps.info@sait.ca
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Monday - Friday | 9 am - 4pm
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.
SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.