Offices of Medical Student Education: Procedure for Emergency Preparedness - Active Shooter and Critical Incident Response

Unit Procedure

Title

School of Medicine: Offices of Medical Student Education: Procedure for Emergency Preparedness - Active Shooter and Critical Incident Response

Introduction

Purpose

This Procedure establishes the protocols to be followed in the event of an active shooter or Critical Incident at each of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ("University") School of Medicine (SOM) Medical Doctorate degree (MD) program's ("Program") Major Clinical Sites.

Scope

This Procedure applies to all students enrolled in the Program ("Students") and all Program staff ("Staff") and faculty ("Faculty") at each of the Program's Major Clinical Sites.

Procedure

Students, Staff, and Faculty are expected to familiarize themselves with and follow the active shooter and Critical Incident protocols established at each of the Program's Major Clinical Sites. Protocols for each Major Clinical Site are developed in collaboration with their security teams. Students are informed of these protocols through multiple mechanisms, including:

  • Class meetings and e-mail correspondence;
  • Phase and Course Orientations;
  • Learning management system (Canvas) sites for courses; and
  • Drills at clinical sites.

The Protocols for the Major Clinical Sites are provided below:

UNC-Chapel Hill Campus and UNC Healthcare System (includes UNC Hospitals [Main, Hillsborough, Rex, etc.] and also applies to UNC Physician Network and UNC Medical Group sites)

Campus Security has developed a protocol that individuals on the University's Chapel Hill Campus and within the UNC Healthcare system are advised to follow.

Asheville - Mountain Area Health Education Community (MAHEC)

See Appendix A

Butner: Central Regional Hospital

See Appendix B

Charlotte - Novant Health

See Appendix C

Greensboro - Moses Cone Health

See Appendix D

Raleigh - Wake Med Health

See Appendix E

Wilmington - Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center

See Appendix F

Definitions

Major Clinical Site – Refers to:

  • The SOM's three (3) regional campuses – Asheville, Charlotte, and Wilmington;
  • The SOM's Main/Central Campus (i.e., Chapel Hill); and/or
  • The three (3) sites that are also part of Central Campus – Raleigh, Greensboro, and Butner.

Critical Incident – An event out of the range of normal experience, one which is sudden and unexpected, involves the perception of a threat to life and can include elements of physical and emotional loss.

Related Requirements

External Regulations

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Name: Mary Hauser, Senior Director of Curricular Affairs

Email: mary_hauser@med.unc.edu

Publication Details

  • Issuing Officer: Myrah Stockdale, Director of Educational Effectiveness, myrah_stockdale@med.unc.edu
  • Effective Date: March 1, 2026
  • Next Review Date: February 28, 2027
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