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VA Miami Medical Center (Miami, FL) – VA MIAMI

Immunizations Required

  • PPD results (negative). TB test results/Chest X-ray if needed. ROTATION MUST BE WITHIN 1 YEAR OF TEST DATE AND CANNOT EXPIRE WHILE INTERN IS ON ROTATION AT VA MIAMI.
  • Covid-19 Vaccine and booster
    • Complete VA Form 10-263 and submit along with a copy of your Covid-19 vaccine and booster card.
    • If student is not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, they must file for an exemption (medical or religious) using the VA Form 10-263 otherwise they CANNOT come to the VA. If they are NOT fully vaccinated, they need to complete COVID-19 testing WEEKLY at the VA.

Immunizations Records Submit to and Date:

  • Please email VA Form 10-263 and a copy of your Covid-19 vaccine card to Samantha Fernandez, OD Attending Optometrist at Samantha.Fernandez@va.gov.

Documentation Required

  • US Citizenship (passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate). MANDATORY. Please let me know if you are a non-citizen.
  • Fingerprinting: Due to a Federal mandate, students must be fingerprinted prior to their arrival at VA Miami. You can be fingerprinted locally at VA San Francisco or VA Martinez.
    • You can get fingerprinted at the San Francisco VA on a walk-in basis:
      • The SFVA PIV (Personal Identification Verification) Office is accepting “walk-in appointments” now.
      • The office hours are Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
      • Enclosed is a blank Fingerprinting form. Please complete the form and include the appropriate SOI and SON numbers to identify the VA that you will be taking the fingerprints for. Most numbers can be found in the clinic manual under the requirements for that VA site.
      • Please bring 2 original and current forms of ID (one must be a Government-issued photo ID) and your completed Fingerprinting Form to your appointment.
      • The PIV Office is located in Building 4, 2nd Floor, Room 2A-103 (San Francisco VA Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121). Click for map of VA San Francisco PIV Office.
    • VA Martinez is another location that you can go to for fingerprinting.
      • VA Northern California Health Care System Martinez – PIV Office, 150 Muir Road, Bldg. 21 Rm 219, Martinez, CA 94553, (925) 372-2000, ext. 6755. The PIV office is located inside Bldg. 21 on the second floor in room 219.  Customer parking is located in the large gravel parking lot, across the street from Bldg 21. Click for map of VA Martinez PIV Office.
      • Open Monday through Friday 8:30 to 11:30 a.m 1-3 p.m. Closed for lunch between 12 and 1 p.m.
      • You can make an appointment by emailing v21macpivmartinez@va.gov. In the subject line, please indicate for “Fingerprinting.” In the message, please provide:
        • first name and last name
        • phone number
        • email address
        • three dates and times that work for you.
      • They will reply to confirm the date of your appointment.
      • You can also do walk-in fingerprinting on Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m. to 1-3 p.m. Wait times vary.
      • What Documents to Bring to VA Martinez: 
        • Bring two pieces of identification with you.  1) one government identity source document ID with photo and your full legal name (including middle name); 2) one government identity source document ID (photo or non-photo) with your full legal name (including middle name). For example, you may use your state issued Driver’s license and a Social Security card, Passport, Voters Registration Card, Birth Certificate, School ID card or PIV card. Expired IDs are not acceptable.
    • Click here for Acceptable IDs.
    • The completed fingerprinting form. Please provide the SOI and SON (see below) of the VA that you need the fingerprints for so that they know where to send the results.
    • This must be done NO GREATER than six months before the start of your rotation and NO LATER than 8 weeks before the start of your rotation. If you are not local, follow the instructions for “out-of-state” courtesy fingerprinting on the student website and give the following information:
      • Miami VA Fingerprints
      • SOI# VAL(0)
      • SON# 1887
      • Organization: VHA
      • Employee type: Student/Trainee or Affiliate (if Student/Trainee option is not available)
    • Inform your Trainee Coordinator of VA faculty member of your fingerprint date and location

Documentation Submit to and Date

  • Samantha Fernandez, OD, Attending Optometrist, Clinic Staff Supervisor Miami VA Medical Center, Eye Clinic, 1201 NW 16th Street, Miami, FL 33125; Tel: 305-575-7000 x 13910; Samantha.Fernandez@va.gov.
  • Selective Service Card (register by Age 26)

Absence Policy

  • Please notify Dr. Fernandez as soon as possible of upcoming absences; an official email request is preferred: Samantha.Fernandez@VA.gov, cell phone: 786-291-0951, office: 305-575-7000 x1-6131, or eye clinic x1-3081. Please speak to someone instead of leaving voice mail.
  • Enter all absences into Meditrek.
  • Absences are to be made up on another clinic day that you would normally have off otherwise.
  • If you are unable to make up a day, we will require a written case report on any patient case you personally examined.