Student Services
Campus Health Services
The Student Care Center (SCC) and the Student Counseling and Resource Service (SCRS) are the primary services dedicated to assisting the student population. For a complete overview of student health services at the University of Chicago, please consult the online Care Services Booklet (PDF).
- What should my student do if he or she is sick?
The Student Care Center (SCC) provides general health care to all registered students at the University. The SCC is part of the University of Chicago Medical Center and is staffed by faculty physicians, nurse practitioners, and a registered dietitian, as well as specialists in sports medicine, physical therapy, and travel health. The SCC is funded by a mandatory health and wellness fee that students pay each quarter.
The SCC is an appointment-based clinic where students can generally be seen within 24 to 48 hours of calling. Students will be scheduled with their primary care practitioner when available. The SCC is available for appointments from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended evening hours on some days and Urgent Care appointments available Saturday mornings. Students may call 773.702.4156 to make an appointment.
- What services does the health and wellness fee cover?
The student health and wellness fee covers designated services within the SCC, including appointments for routine and urgent care during business hours. Selected services also covered by the fee include physical therapy, selected laboratory tests, limited pharmaceuticals, and sports medicine visits when performed within the SCC. This fee also covers SCC health education services, which include health counseling, campus-wide awareness weeks, and quarterly programs on topics such as stress and time management, sexual health, nutrition, sleep, hygiene, and tobacco cessation.
- What should my student do in the event of an emergency if the Student Care Center is not open?
Students with an after-hours emergency should telephone the Physician-on-Call for medical advice. When necessary, they will be referred to the emergency department. Please note that emergency department visits, radiology, most laboratory tests, prescriptions, and other services are not covered by the Student Health and Wellness Fee even when performed within the SCC. Please see the following sections for details on the separate health insurance that is required. Please make sure that your student brings her or his health insurance card and information to campus.
- Is student health insurance available? Does my student need it?
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Students are required to be enrolled in a United States–based health insurance plan that covers such costs as emergency department visits, hospitalization, outpatient diagnosis and surgical procedures, X-rays, laboratory tests, catastrophic illness, and prescriptions. Each year, students must either demonstrate that they are already covered by insurance comparable to the University plan or enroll in the University Student Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP) plan offered by the University. Students who do not apply for a waiver from the U-SHIP plan by Friday of the second week of Autumn Quarter will be automatically enrolled in the U-SHIP Basic plan and will be responsible for the full year’s premium. The U-SHIP plan covers registered students and their eligible dependents from September 1 through August 31. The yearly premium is divided in thirds and assessed for the Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters. The policy has a yearly deductible and requires co-payments for covered services. Students are covered during the summer if they have been enrolled the previous three quarters and the necessary premium has been paid in each of these quarters. Complete information on the U-SHIP plan and enrollment or waiver procedures can be found at the Student Health Care Services website.
- Where can students have prescriptions filled?
Students who are enrolled in the University-sponsored University Student Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP) may have prescriptions filled at any pharmacy included in the Aetna/Chickering coverage network. Also, U-SHIP-enrolled students may have prescriptions filled at the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (DCAM) Pharmacy, conveniently located on campus in the University of Chicago Medical Center. U-SHIP-enrolled students who take monthly medicines may have their prescriptions filled at the DCAM Pharmacy under a special “three months prescriptions for the price of two months co-pay” arrangement. Students who are enrolled in other insurance plans must consult with their insurance carriers to identify the pharmacy/ies included under their plans.
- Are there counseling services available?
The student health and wellness fee covers services provided by the Student Counseling and Resource Service (SCRS), including diagnostic assessment, short-term psychotherapy, consultation regarding concern about another student, and crisis intervention, as well as medication evaluation and treatment. SCRS staff are also available to help students improve time management and study skills.Referral services are provided for students who need longer-term treatment. To schedule an appointment, students may call the SCRS at 773.702.9800. SCRS hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. SCRS clinicians are available to provide emergency service for students during office hours. It is helpful, though not required, to call SCRS in advance. An SCRS staff-member-on-call provides emergency phone consultations after hours and throughout the weekend. SCRS maintains and adheres to strict confidentiality guidelines and policies.
- What immunizations does my student need before arriving on campus?
The State of Illinois requires students to show proof of immunity to a number of diseases: measles (rubeola), rubella (German measles), mumps, and tetanus/diphtheria. Proof of immunity varies from disease to disease. Students must have two vaccine doses for measles and one each for rubella and mumps. Students must have completed the primary tetanus/diphtheria series and show proof of a booster within the last ten years. Students may not continue their studies after their first quarter of enrollment unless they are in compliance with these regulations. Information about this requirement is mailed to admitted students who plan to matriculate. For complete information on how to provide proof of immunity, please refer to the immunization links on the Student Care Center website.
In addition to meeting the mandatory State of Illinois requirements, students are encouraged to be vaccinated against the following additional vaccine-preventable diseases before they arrive on campus: chicken pox (varicella), hepatitis B, and meningococcal meningitis. Vaccinations are available at the Student Care Center for a nominal fee.
- Whom do I contact to discuss disability accommodations or to start the ADA process?
The University encourages all students interested in the disability accommodation process to visit the University’s Disability Accommodation website. After reviewing the website, students should notify Kimberly Gardiner, Coordinator for Disability Services, at 773.834.4469 or gardiner@uchicago.edu to initiate the accommodation process promptly. Appropriate, professional documentation verifying the disability and specifying recommended accommodation(s) must be provided to support the request. Assuming the documentation is current (within three years) and complete, the review and determination process may take up to ten weeks.
