Employment drug screening

[Doowai]

The website for one of the residencies I am applying to states that all new residents will be drug screened, including for cotinine to verify that they do not smoke. It says that if they fail the test for smoking their residency offer will be withdrawn and the contract rescinded.

I don't smoke, but wonder how many of you had drug screenings for residency employment - what form of screening they used (hair, blood, urine) - and what they tested for.

I have to admit I am surprised at the no smoking policy. Last week I was talking to a friend of mine in the airforce, and how often he has been drug tested. Even many over the counter products are banned by the airforce and can result in termination. He said he has to be very careful when buying vitamin supplements, and only shops at the GNC on base since they only carry products that are within the guidelines of the Airforce - ex. any positive test result of ephedra results in termination.

Last time I had a life insurance test I was surprised they tested for cotinine and carbohydrate deficient protein (which checks for daily consumption of alcohol). I passed because I don't smoke and don't really drink, but I do take a fair number of vitamins and supplements.

So:
1) Does your residency, do most residencies test?
2) What form of test do most do (urine, blood, hair, lie detector)?
3) What substances, including legal substances like ephedra and cigarettes can result in termination?

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[Winged Scapula]

Smoking? I wonder how they can uphold that...its not illegal. I suppose they have some sort of "morals" clause which talks about behavior unbecoming to a physician.

My residency had a policy that they could test for the usual restricted drugs but I don't recall ever being tested. It might be on a "we suspect you" basis. I think the VAs tend to be more stringent about it.

 

[f_w]

Smoking? I wonder how they can uphold that...its not illegal. I suppose they have some sort of "morals" clause which talks about behavior unbecoming to a physician.

Heck, there are residencies that require you to be a 7th day adventist.

Smoking might not be illegal (yet) where you are. Aruond here the 'we will tell you how to live police' is working hard on making it practically illegal (right, 'outdoors' is someones workplace).

Drug testing policies in residency are a dead horse that has been throughly flogged in a number of threads over the years on SDN. If you are up for some truly bizarre discussions about what is worse, molesting your patients or MJ, do a search.

 

[McDoctor]

I do not drink. I do not smoke. I don't go to bars or sit in smoking sections in restaurants. I rarely stay up past 10PM. I don't even watch MTV.

Nonetheless, never, in a million years, if it were the last residency on the face of the earth, would I go into a program that urine tested me for nicotine. That is insane.

 

[nradsoit3]

This program needs to be outed