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!