VA Provides Enhanced Background Check Resources for Academic Affiliates

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Jan. 1 implemented an enhanced background check policy for health professions trainees (HPTs), which includes resident physicians and medical students on clinical rotations at the VA. Previously, HPTs were exempt from the background check policy required for all other VA appointments. To ensure that all individuals with VA credentials are properly vetted, the VA removed the waiver for HPTs, and now all HPTs must undergo the same background check that all other VA appointments are required to complete.

This means that United States citizens and most individuals who have been in the United States for at least three years will need to complete a Tier 1 background check. Noncitizens will need to complete a different background check. Those individuals with current VA credentials should be able to continue rotations at VA sites while the background checks are completed. The VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) provided updates on the new policy at an AAMC webinar in September 2024, and at the end of December, the OAA provided updated resource information for academic affiliates. The resources and webinar can be found on the AAMC Group on Resident Affairs website.