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: mw219@columbia.edu

Location: 60 Haven Avenue, Tower 1, Ground Floor - Clinical Services; 3E- Administrative Offices
Phone: (212) 305-3400
Emergencies: (212) 305-3400, X7
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. 

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       Location: 60 Haven Avenue, Lobby Floor
SHS physicians, physician assistants, and nurses provide a full range of primary care medical services, occupational exposure evaluation and treatment, women’s, men's and trans health services, travel consultation, nutrition and acupuncture, referral to specialists, and ancillary services, including on-site laboratory service in affiliation with our reference laboratory.  All care within the Student Health Service is completely confidential.

If you are also enrolled in the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan administered by Aetna Student Health, SHS is your gateway to the Aetna provider network. For further information on the Student Health Insurance Plan, visit www.aetnastudenthealth.com or the insurance page of the Student Health Service website.

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 Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan. These services are strictly confidential.  Staff listing and bios are available on the SHS website.

Center for Student Wellness

Jane Bogart, M.A., CHES, Director

Phone:  (212) 304-5564               Location:  107 Bard Hall

Deborah Levi, LCSW, Certified Coach, Assistant Director

Phone: (212) 304-5560               Location: 102 Bard Hall

AI:MS (Addiction Illness: Medical Solutions)

Heather Moon, M.A., LMHC, Director

Phone:  (212) 305-3989               Location:  102 Bard Hall

The Center for Student Wellness provides free, confidential wellness counseling, coaching, and health promotion programs.  Designed as "one-stop shopping" for support, CUMC students may seek out assistance at the CSW for virtually any concern, big or small.  Students can access services by making an appointment or stopping by during our walk-in hours, 10 am-2pm Monday through Friday and 5-7 pm Monday and Tuesday evenings.

Based on the nature of the concern, the CSW staff will assist the student in the development of an individualized action plan to address the concern including:

• reducing perceived and actual stress among students
• increasing coping skills and strategies available to students
• advocating for positive social support systems on campus

Wellness Works! is the health promotion arm of the Student Health Service and the Center for Student Wellness.  Certified Health Education Specialists develop and coordinate individual and group activities to address health and wellness concerns, including stress management, academic concerns, relationship issues, nutrition and fitness, sexual health, and substance use.  Wellness Works! also sponsors a low-cost Yoga and Pilates program each semester.

The AI:MS Program (Addiction Illness: Medical Solutions), part of the Center for Student Wellness, focuses on issues related to drinking or drug use, smoking cessation; disordered eating behavior; gampling; excessive internet use; excessive spending; or difficulties with/concerns about classmates, friends, or family members arising from any of the aforementioned.   

Specialized substance use counseling is available through AI:MS, which is a safe, confidential place for students to raise concerns about compulsive behavior and/or addiction.

Both CSW and AI:MS are guided by elected student peer leaders: 3 Wellness Reps (male, female and MD/PhD) and 2 AI:MS Reps (male, female) are elected from each class at P&S.  These student leaders meet regularly to develop programs and advocate for change, and are also available as a confidential resource for students at P&S. 

Student Participation

We actively seek your feedback and suggestions for all aspects of 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 or a QuantiFERON Gold blood test for tuberculosis within the past six (6) months. A chest x-ray is required if the PPD or QuantiFERON Gold 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, antigens and x-rays. 

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!

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!