What We Do
Student Health Services staff provides services one would expect at family practices in Vermont, such as “well” visits (check-ups and physicals), evaluation and management of acute and chronic medical problems, coordination of care with home physicians, health counseling, specialist referrals when necessary, some laboratory tests, and prescriptions for medications. The services of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) in Bennington are used as needed for laboratory tests, X-rays, emergency care, and specialist consultation.
Direct Care
- Evaluation and management of acute and chronic medical problems
- Routine physical exams
- Prescribe medication and refill existing prescriptions
- Minor procedures, including sutures
- Lab testing, including STI testing, treatment, and vaccines
- Immunizations
- Contraception
- Sexual health
- Women's wellness
- Transgender health
- Allergy injections
- Free safe sex and first aid supplies
- Coordination of care with home physicians
- Specialist referrals when necessary
- Issue health-related alerts and communication to the Bennington community
See below for an extended list of services.
Health Education
- Health maintenance
- Preparation to travel abroad
- Promotion of safer sexual practices
- Nutrition
- Weight management
- Smoking cessation
- Sexuality
- Substance abuse
See below for an extended list of services
Our staff includes physicians, registered nurses, and a women's health nurse practitioner. The services of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) in Bennington are used as needed for laboratory tests, x-rays, emergency care, and specialist consultation.
Physicians are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and make referrals for consultation by outside providers when appropriate. During non-term times, information is provided for students needing health care locally.
Appointments are encouraged, but walk-in visits are taken on a first-come, first-served basis and as dictated by the urgency of the presenting problem. Appointments can be made in person, by using any of the contact methods.
Extended list of services we provide include, but are not limited to the following
Routine checkups, physicals and wellness examinations
- Annual checkups for men and women
- Pre-travel exams and advice
- Pre-employment physicals
- Required school physicals
Immunizations for
- Measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, HPV, meningitis, chickenpox, typhoid, and flu
Care for acute/short term issues, such as
- Colds, flu, earache, sore throat, sinus congestion, allergies
- Cough, chest pain, asthma, shortness of breath, breast pain or lumps
- Stomachache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion, diarrhea, hernia
- Genital pain, discharge, urinary tract infection, STI, vaginitis
- Menstrual disorders, irregular periods, cramps, pregnancy
- Rectal pain, bleeding, lumps, hemorrhoids
- Musculoskeletal pain, backaches, neck aches, joint swelling, sciatica
- Injuries, concussions, cuts, stitches, burns, sprains, strains, broken bones
- Rashes, moles, warts, insect bites, eczema, boils, sores, MRSA
- Headache, numbness, weakness, sleep disturbance
Care for chronic/long term issues, such as
- Allergy and asthma
- Migraine
- Diabetes, thyroid problems, obesity
- Heart disease, hypertension, cholesterol disorders
- Irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, reflux, ulcers
- Polycystic ovary syndrome, painful periods, irregular periods
- Sexual dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, pain with intercourse, arousal problems
- Back and neck pain, arthritis, repetitive use injury
- Nicotine addiction
- Eczema
- Transgender health
Testing in office for
- Hemoglobin (anemia)
- Blood sugar (diabetes, hypoglycemia)
- Urinalysis (UTI, blood in urine, diabetes, kidney stones)
- Pregnancy
- Strep (sore throat)
- Wet prep/KOH (vaginitis)
- HIV saliva screen
Collection of specimens for tests done at outside laboratories
- Blood tests (a wide range covering most available tests)
- Pap tests
- STI screening and diagnostic tests (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia, herpes, trichomonas)
- Stool tests (digestive disorders, parasites, other infections)
- Urine tests (kidney function, kidney stones)
- Cultures for infections
In-office procedures, such as
- Skin surgery to remove moles
- Stitches
- Incision and drainage of abscesses
- Freezing off warts and other skin lesions
- Diaphragm fitting
- Nebulizer treatments for asthma
- Trigger point injections
- Splinter/sliver removal
- Steroid injections to treat raised scars
- Removal of excessive ear wax
- Allergy shots
- Deep heat treatments for muscle pain
- Broad spectrum light treatment for seasonal affective disorder
Referrals for services off campus, such as
- Sub-specialists (orthopedics, OB/GYN, cardiology, neurology, etc.)
- Allied health professionals (physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, optometry)
- Diagnostic evaluations (x-rays, ultrasound, MRI, heart monitors, sleep studies)
Medications, such as
- Prescription drugs for common problems
- Over-the-counter drugs for common problems
- Regular and emergency birth control pills, depo-provera
- Topical creams/ointments for skin disorders
Other medical supplies, such as
- Bandages
- ACE wraps
- Splints (ankle, wrist, knee, etc.)
- Ice/heat packs
- Slings
- Crutches
- Condoms, personal lubricants
Counseling and health education on a wide array of topics, such as
- Tobacco cessation
- Drug and alcohol use
- Exercise
- Weight loss
- Nutrition
- Safer sex
- Travel health
- Transgender health