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Volume CXXXII, Number 1 |
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September welcome to all
JEFF BENSON, M.D.
Dear Students: Welcome to Bowdoin 2002-2003, from all of us at the Health Center!
In this, my first column of the new year, I wanted to write a little about our sense of mission here at Dudley Coe, and to review some of our programs and services.
Before coming to Bowdoin, many of you were likely cared for by pediatricians,
and most likely under your parents' direct and attentive supervision.
You might not have had the opportunity to develop independent provider-patient
relationships of your own. You might not have needed to be responsible
for pursuing your own health care, and you might not have even been expected
to understand your own health needs.
This is exactly what we would like to offer you: the opportunity to take
charge of your own health care and needs, with as much support, information,
and hopefully good advice and guidance as we can muster.
In providing health care services on campus, we try to emphasize health
promotion and disease prevention. We treat acute illnesses, offer preventive
exams and vaccinations, and sponsor health education programs. We hope
to help you gain access to the information, resources and services you'll
want in order to understand your own health needs, to pursue your own
health care, and to promote and sustain your own well-being.
We are very eager, of course, to advertise our smoking cessation support
efforts. If you're thinking about quitting smoking, or just want to learn
more about your options, or just want to help someone else out who might
be thinking of quitting, come on in!
Once again, this year, we're able to offer all students free tetanus,
flu, pneumonia and chickenpox vaccines. In addition, Hepatitis B, Polio
and Measles/Mumps/Rubella vaccinations are free for students 18 years
of age or younger. Travel vaccines and the meningitis vaccine are available
at cost.
Pap tests at the Health Center are free, as are STD tests for both women
and men, including HIV testing. For men, we're still using non-invasive,
urine tests for STD's.
In fact, all laboratory tests ordered at the Health Center are free of charge to students.
Our in-house, formulary prescription medications are dispensed to students
free of charge. Our formulary includes over thirty of the most commonly
prescribed medications - from antibiotics to generic "Prozac"
and Emergency Contraception. Prescriptions for non-formulary medications
can be filled at a number of nearby community pharmacies. We also carry
a good generic birth control pill, which we can sell to you for $10/pack.
New this year is our own stocked supply of liquid nitrogen, for freezing
warts, etc.
We're continuing to offer minor office surgery for "lumps and bumps."
Our "Self-Care Room" is up and running, and in it you'll find
the information, diagnostic tools, and remedies to evaluate and treat
- by yourselves -- some of your more common ailments.
The Health Center staff is happy to see you for a broad spectrum of primary and acute care needs. Routine physical exams, GYN exams, allergy shots, and travel consultations are scheduled by appointment (X3770). More urgent medical needs can be met on a walk-in basis.
In addition, Dr. Avery, from Orthopedic Associates in Portland, will be here Monday and Thursday mornings for Orthopedic consultations. Mona Alley, R.D./L.D., will be coming to the Health Center every two weeks for Nutrition consultations. And, O. J. Mayo, P.T./A.T.C., will remain available for on-campus Physical Therapy referrals.
We are always eager to hear back from you about your needs and concerns, and about how well (or not!) we seem to be meeting them. Please feel free to contact any of us by email or phone, or stop by to chat. We will also be starting back up our Health Center Student Advisory Group to address these questions longitudinally.
And finally, there's my weekly column in this paper. It was always meant
to provide a forum for discussion about any questions and comments you
may have, related to health care, public health, preventive medicine,
health policy, Health Center services, or any other issues involving health
or wellness. Please feel free to email me with any of these questions
or comments. If published, your questions and comments would be printed
anonymously, but our discussion might benefit the whole community.
Salud! To a great year together!
Jeff Benson, M.D.
Dudley Coe Health Center
jbenson@bowdoin.edu