Advisory Deans

Since 2003, the Advisory Dean program has provided medical students at P&S academic, career, and personal support through regularly scheduled group and individual meetings. The Advisory Deans create opportunities for students to gather to discuss the unique concerns that arise during medical school, such as the importance of mentoring relationships, academic concerns, recommended changes in the curriculum, and residency and career plans. The Advisory Deans are liaisons to faculty and administrators at P&S and thus have direct access to the numerous services available to students. At the twice-monthly lunch meetings in first and second year, Advisory Deans invite many of these representatives from the University, and the Medical Center, as well as students in more senior classes, to meet with their advisees.

Students are strongly urged to contact their assigned Advisory Dean for any questions about progress through P&S and for mentoring needs. They are expected to attend their Advisory Dean lunches and meetings. This successful program has already enriched the lives of P&S students and continues to evolve based on student feedback.

Student Health Service

Front Row: Thomas Mele, MD; Haydee De Jesus, Receptionist; Debbie Levi- Asst. Director, Center for Student Wellness Back Row: Jackie Paulino, Financial Administrator; Eileen Fox, MS, RN, Nursing Coordinator; Eladia Goris, Insurance Associate; Altagracia Villafana, Medical Assistant; Dilenny De La Cruz, Administrative Coordinator; Melanie Bernitz, MD, Clinical Coordinator; Polly Wheat, MD, Director; Frances Rivera, Receptionist; Tina Sammon, Medical Assistant; Mark Van Alstyne, PA, Clinical IT Coordinator; Elsa Cadena, RN, Immunization Coordinator.

Director: Polly Wheat, M.D.
Email: w219@columbia.edu

Location: 60 Haven Avenue, Tower 1, Ground Floor- Clinical Services; 3E- Administrative Offices
Phone: (212) 305-3400
Emergencies: (212) 305-3400
Fax: (212)342-3955
Web: www.cumc.columbia.edu/student/health
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri. 8 a.m.–4 p.m. (Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-4 p.m.)

Student Health Service (SHS) at Columbia University Medical Center is committed to advancing the health of each student and to promoting a healthy campus community through its goals of caring, healing, and educating. We provide a full range of primary care, mental health, and health promotion services, which are focused on your needs, both personal and as future clinicians. We seek to deliver care that is compassionate, informed, confidential, and cost-effective.

We offer the following easily accessible, on-campus services:

Medical Services

Phone: (212) 305-3400
SHS provides a full range of primary care medical services, occupational exposure evaluation and treatment, women’s health services, travel consultation, specialty care (both on-site and referral), and ancillary services, including on-site laboratory service in affiliation with our reference laboratory.

If you are also enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan administered by The Chickering Group, SHS is your gateway to the Aetna provider network. For further information on the Student Health Insurance Plan, visit www.chickering.com or contact Student Health Service.
Except as required by law, no information is released outside the Student Health Services without your written consent.

Associate Director of Mental Health Services: Dr. Burton Lerner

Mental Health Services

Phone: (212) 496-8491
Both psychiatrists and psychologists are available for any type of counseling or psycho-pharmacology issues. Appointments are made directly by contacting Dr. Burton Lerner at (212) 496-8491; you are entitled to 10 free visits each year, plus an additional 60 visits under the Chikering-Aetna insurance. These services are strictly confidential.

Prevention, Assessment, & Treatment Services

Phone:  (212) 305-3400

The Student Health Service is the home of the AI:MS program. AI:MS (Addiction Illness : Medical Solutions) is a safe place for students to raise concerns about compulsive behavior and/or addiction with elected peer representatives and/or a trained substance abuse professional.

AI:MS hears a variety of student concerns, including issues related to problem drinking or drug use; disordered eating behavior; gambling; excessive internet use; excessive spending; or difficulties with/concerns about classmates, friends, or family members arising from any of the aforementioned.

AI:MS utilizes a listening model and does not diagnose or treat. Rather, AI:MS provides support, encouragement, options, and, when indicated, triage to professional therapy. AI:MS is a bridge to specialists who are trained in the treatment and care of many different forms of dependency. These therapists can help prevent abuse from growing into serious addiction. AI:MS can help a student find a professional evaluation and advice, off campus, if desired.

Confidentiality: When students say they do not know the names of those who have used AI:MS, that is because of the importance of confidentiality. As a part of the Student Health Service, all contacts with AI:MS are bound by strict HIPAA regulations. Therefore, all contact with AI:MS is confidential. Information gathered by AI:MS will not be shared with anyone, except in cases of imminent serious risk to individual safety. That instance is most rare.

How to reach AI:MS: Information about AI:MS can be accessed by calling the Student Health Service at 212-305-3400 or by logging on to the AI:MS website at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/aims.

Health Promotion And Wellness-Wellness Works! Program

Phone: (212) 304-5564
Together with the Center for Student Wellness, the SHS provides health promotion and wellness in a number of areas, focusing on stress management, smoking cessation, sexual health, nutrition, and fitness. These programs are tailored to meet your needs. Both individual consultations and group programs are available.

Student Participation

We actively seek your feedback and suggestions for all aspects of the SHS. Please give us your ideas-either through your Student Health Advisory Committee representative, through the suggestion box in the SHS waiting room, via the feedback form on the website, or by email or telephone to the Director.

Immunizations

Phone: (212) 305-3400
SHS administers the public health screening and immunizations required by Columbia University Medical Center. The following are required before you will be allowed to register or attend classes.

• Positive titers indicating immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella. If any of these titers are negative or equivocal, another immunization with MMR is required.
• Immunity to varicella. If you have had chickenpox, a positive titer is required. If the titer is negative, varicella vaccine should be given. If you have not had chickenpox, two varicella immunizations at least one month apart are required.
• Record of three (3) Hepatitis B immunizations and a post-immunization titer indicating immunity.
• If the Hepatitis B post-immunization titer is not positive, Hepatitis B Surface antigen is required. If this titer is negative, a fourth dose of Hepatitis B vaccine should be given.
• A PPD skin test for tuberculosis within the past three (3) months. A chest x-ray is required if the PPD is positive. BCG is not a contra indication to placing a PPD.
• A History and Physical completed within the past twelve (12) months.
• A signed Receipt of Information regarding meningococcal vaccine is required.

Laboratory reports are required for all titers and antigens.

To download forms or for further information, visit our website at http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/student/health or call us at(212) 305-3400. We look forward to collaborating with you to maximize your health!

Center For Student Wellness

Director for Center for Student Wellness (left): Jane Bogart. MA, CHES
Phone: (212) 304-5564
Location: 107 Bard Hall

Assistant Director for Health Promotion (right): Deborah P. Levi, LMSW
Email: dpl2002@columbia.edu
Phone: (212) 304-5560
Fax: (212) 544-1967
Location: 107 Bard Hall

The Center for Student Wellness (CSW) was founded on the belief that even the most successful and dedicated student occasionally can use guidance and support. Designed as “one-stop shopping” for student support, the Center for Student Wellness provides free, broad-based support to enhance the physical, emotional, psychosocial, and academic well-being of CUMC students through individualized consultation services, targeted community outreach, and collaboration with faculty and staff.

CUMC students may seek out assistance at the Center for Student Wellness for virtually any concern, big or small. Based on the nature of the concern, the Center staff will assist the student in the development of an individualized action plan to address the concern.

With the outreach program Wellness Works!, the Center for Student Wellness serves as the health promotion division of the CUMC Student Health Service (SHS)

Guiding principles

The Center for Student Wellness (CSW) at Columbia University Medical Center is:

OPEN: The CSW is open to all students attending any school at the medical center regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a Vietnam-era or disabled veteran.

SAFE: The CSW is a safe space where students should feel free to discuss personal matters without fear of judgment or retribution. Accordingly, the CSW acts in partnership with a number of Columbia University and community resources to ensure that all students receive appropriate assistance.

CONFIDENTIAL: The CSW assures confidentiality - no records of specific issues, complaints or problems are kept. The CSW will not report the names of visitors to the office and will not act without permission, except in cases of imminent serious risk to individual safety, or if required by law.

Stay well informed! To learn more about Wellness events and related services at CUMC join our wellness list serve, by simply sending an email to:

Message: subscribe cumclumbia.edu
Subject: (leave subject line blank)
Address: majordomo@cowellness

Getting help...

The Director for Student Wellness and the Assistant Director for Health Promotion hold regular afternoon walk-in office hours. Appointments are available at other times. A complete listing of current walk-in hours is posted outside the Center for Student Wellness and on the Center’s website at http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/students/wellness

Ombuds Office

Ombuds Officer: Marsha Wagner 

Columbia University Medical Center Campus
Email: ombuds@columbia.edu
Location: 101 Bard Hall
Phone: (212) 304-7026

Associate Ombuds Officer: Bathabile Mthombeni

Morningside Campus
Location: 660 Schermerhorn Mail Code 5558
Phone: (212) 854-1234
Fax: (212) 854-6046

The Ombuds Officers are confidential and neutral complaint-handlers serving all campuses - Medical Center, Morningside, Lamont, and Nevis - who seek fair and equitable solutions to various problems through informal processes. The Ombuds Office is available to the entire Columbia University community: students, faculty and employees.

Confidentiality

The Ombuds Officers will not report the names of visitors to the office and will not act without permission, except in cases of serious threat to individual safety. The Ombuds Officers keep no records of specific complaints or individuals.

Neutrality

The Ombuds Officers report directly to the President, not to any administrative office. The Ombuds Officers do not take sides and will not testify; the Ombuds Officers have no decision-making power and do not arbitrate or adjudicate.

Informal Process

The visitor to the Ombuds Office can confidentially voice his/her concerns, evaluate the situation, and plan a particular course of action - if any. The Ombuds Officers will listen, offer information about Columbia University policies and procedures, and present a range of options for resolving a problem. The visitor selects the option he or she prefers.

The Ombuds Officers also provide referrals to sources of expertise or decision-making on particular issues or procedures. With permission, the Ombuds Officers may conduct an informal and impartial investigation, facilitate communication, use shuttle diplomacy or mediate a dispute.

Promoting Constructive Change

The Ombuds Officers keep aggregate anonymous statistics of the types of complaints received by the office and - while maintaining individuals’ confidentiality - may periodically report problem areas to senior administrators and make recommendations for institutional improvements as appropriate.

Office of Disability Services

Director (left): Colleen Lewis

Assistant Director: Sarah Damsky
CUMC Program Coordinator (right): Neera Jain
Administrative Coordinator: Diane Raboud

For a full staff directory, please consult our website at www.health.columbia.edu/ods.

Morningside Campus
Phone: (212) 854-2388
Phone (TTY):  (212) 854-2378
Fax:  (212) 854-3448
Email:  disability@columbia.edu
Web: www.health.columbia.edu
Location: 2920 Broadway
MC 2605, Alfred Lerner Hall, 7th Floor

Medical Center Campus
Location: 50 Haven Avenue, 101 Bard Hall 

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) empowers students with disabilities to realize their academic and personal potential by facilitating equal access and coordinating reasonable accommodations and support services for eligible students.  This approach is consistent with the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act and emphasizes student ability and independence.

Reasonable accommodations are adjustments to policy, practice, and programs that “level the playing field” for students with disabilities and provide equal access to Columbia’s programs and activities. Examples include the administration of exams, services such as note-taking, sign language interpreters, assistive technology, and coordination of accessible housing needs. Accommodation plans and services are custom designed to match the disability-related needs of each student and are determined according to documented needs and the student’s program requirements.

To access academic accommodations, students must register with ODS.  To do so, students should submit a Graduate Application and disability documentation. The application and disability documentation guidelines (by disability type) are available for download on the ODS  website, and at the ODS office. Students are encouraged to register within the first two weeks of the semester to ensure that reasonable accommodations can be coordinated in a timely manner. 

Disability Services Liaisons are representatives from the student’s respective school and assist ODS in coordinating the provisions of reasonable accommodations. The Liaison for P&S is the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, P&S Room 3-401, 212 305-3806.

Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Program

 

Director: TBA
Program Coordinators: Asere Bello and Anna R. Tekippe
Program Advisors: Suraiya Baluch and Rachel C. Efron
Administrative Program Coordinator: Helen V. Arnold

Morningside Campus
Location: 301 Lerner Hall

CUMC Campus
Location: 101 Bard Hall
Email: mb1106@columbia.edu
Phone: (212) 854-3500

Men’s Peer Education Program
Phone: (212) 854-2136
Fax: (212) 854-8830

Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center
Location: Brooks Hall,

Barnard College Campus
Phone: (212) 854-4366

Peer Advocates
Hours: 24 hrs/7days
Phone: (212) 854-WALK

Peer Counselors
Hours: 7pm to 11pm/7 days
Phone: (212) 854-HELP

The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Program (SVPRP) educates students about consent and coercion, and promotes community standards for a respectful and safe campus. Through its programs and services, SVPRP fosters individual and collective action to end sexual and relationship violence by: Educating students and administrators about the dynamics and effects of sexual assault; Helping students develop the communication and assessment skills necessary to promote and maintain healthy and intimate relationships; and Advocating for appropriate support for survivors of sexual and relationship violence.

Programs

Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center provides peer counseling, advocacy, and education to survivors and co-survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, childhood sexual abuse, and other forms of violence.

Men’s Peer Education Program develops prevention strategies and provides educational events and leadership training programs to engage men to end sexual and relationship violence.

Workshops and Events present prevention and risk reduction strategies to men and women.

University Policy on Sexual Misconduct

The University’s Policy for Sexual Misconduct requires that standards of consensual sexual conduct be observed on campus, that violations of these standards are subject to discipline, and that resources and structures be sufficient to meet the physical and emotional needs of individuals who have experienced sexual misconduct.

Disciplinary Procedure for Sexual Misconduct

Students interested in initiating the Disciplinary Procedure for Sexual Misconduct should contact Helen Arnold, the Administrative Program Coordinator, by visiting room 701A Alfred Lerner Hall, calling 212 854 1717, or emailing hva2002@columbia.edu

Big Sibs

Each incoming first-year is matched with a second year student based on one or more demographic parameters. Big Sibs act as initial social, academic and personal contacts, and are available to offer advice, answer questions, and generally ease the new students’ transition into P&S. Big Sibs contact their little sibs before or at the beginning of the academic year to arrange to meet, and often remain in contact throughout the year. This is a student-run, long-standing tradition at P&S that fosters interaction among classes and provides new students with a personal peer resource.

Student Success Network

Regardless of individual talent and prior experience, medical school can at times be overwhelming for anyone. The Student Success Network (SSN) offers services to help make first-year students’ adjustment to medical school a smooth one. SSN promotes a sense of teamwork through regular small-group review sessions, facilitated by second-year students who know what to learn and remember how to learn it. Tutors are also available free of charge.

We hope to enhance both study skills and teaching skills; fundamental to our philosophy is putting into action the tenet of learning from (and thus teaching) your colleagues. It sounds intimidating, but it’s actually fun and a great way to learn. We encourage first year students to come to our workshops early in the semester to see if they can be of assistance.

Black and Latino Students Organization

BALSO E-Board   President: Sabra Lewsey   Vice President: Safiya Richardson 
SNMA Co-President: Brandon Penn   NBLHO Co-President: Christina Cruz  
Secretary: Adjoa Smalls-Mantey   Treasurer: Tiffany Young  
Community Service Chair: Natalia Mendoza  Events Coordinator: Tracy Paul   
MAPS Liaison/Mentoring Coordinator: Jason Dukes

The Diversity Affairs Office at P&S works closely with and supports the Black and Latino Student Organization (BALSO) which is committed to the recruitment and retention of qualified minority students, the nurturing of minority students through counseling and support mechanisms involving faculty and BALSO students, sponsorship of programs that expand awareness of health and health policy issues and community service. For further information call 305-4157.

Residency Advisors

At the start of their fourth year, each student selects a residency advisor, usually in the field in which the student hopes to specialize. The role of this advisor is to review the student’s performance, discuss their interests and goals, and advise the student in which hospitals he/she might logically expect to match for postgraduate education.