As you prepare to start a new chapter in your life, it's essential to consider your health and well-being. UChicago students have access to coordinated and comprehensive medical care, counseling, psychiatry, and health promotion services to help build and maintain holistic well-being. UChicago Student Wellness believes that good health is vital for academic success, and we want you to take advantage of our services while you're here!

Below are some steps to take to prepare for your transition to living on campus and establishing care with UChicago Student Wellness.

Log Into Your Student Wellness Portal

Log into the Student Wellness Portal. This is where you can schedule medical appointments online and upload crucial medical information like your immunization record. All University of Chicago students can access this site using their CNetID (accounts are automatically created). If you receive an error message, please email studentwellness-notification@uchicago.edu for assistance setting up your account.

Immunizations

Submit proof of all required immunizations through the Student Wellness Portal by October 20. For more information about what is required and to download the immunization form, visit the Required Immunizations Website. In addition to the required vaccination documentation, keeping your full childhood/pediatric vaccination record in your possession is a good idea. Save a picture of it on your phone so you always have it handy!

Bring Extra Prescription Medication

If you regularly take prescription medication, bringing three months of medication with you to campus is good practice. Speak with your current healthcare provider about how to do this.

If you cannot get your medication from home, transfer your prescriptions to a pharmacy near school before you leave home.

If you need help coordinating this process, please get in touch with a nurse navigator at UChicago Student Wellness by calling 773.834.9355.

If you take Psychiatric medication, arrange with your current prescriber to get refills of all your medications to last until you can see a provider in Chicago. (More on establishing Psychiatric care and continuing medication management below.)

Enroll in or Waive University Health Insurance

You must enroll in or waive the University's Student Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP) by October 13 for the 2023-2024 academic year. After that deadline, students who do not take action are default enrolled in USHIP for the year and charged the quarterly premium on their student account. Please note this is an annual requirement.

Establish Medical Care as Soon as Possible

Establish Primary Healthcare
UChicago Student Wellness offers primary and acute care to UChicago students. Primary care is day-to-day, routine health care, and acute care is short-term treatment for an injury or illness. If you would like routine health care on campus, we recommend establishing a primary care provider with one of our physicians or nurse practitioners. You can learn more about what medical services UChicago Student Wellness offers on our website.

Referrals
Students are encouraged first to seek care at Student Wellness unless it is an emergency. At the time of your visit, a provider may recommend specialty care depending on your situation and can recommend a provider based on your insurance. Students are encouraged to contact the Care Navigation team at Student Wellness for assistance with referrals or guidance on accessing specialty services. Please feel free to contact Student Wellness if you need help accessing care.

Psychiatry
If you need psychiatric care, please consider these questions:

• Will you establish care with a local psychiatric provider? If yes, contact UChicago Student Wellness as soon as you arrive on campus to schedule a triage appointment (the first appointment). At the triage appointment, you can schedule a psychiatric appointment. There may be a wait time to meet with the psychiatric provider, so the sooner you make your appointment, the better. Please note that all Student Wellness prescribers do an independent assessment and make their own treatment recommendations based on that assessment.
• Will you continue care with your current provider? If you plan to continue treatment with your current prescriber, make arrangements with that prescriber before leaving for UChicago. Get a 3-month supply of medication when possible. Consider giving your prescriber information to a local Chicago pharmacy.

Emergency Care
If you need emergency medical care or immediate treatment of severe or critical conditions, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. For those on campus, the University of Chicago Medicine's Emergency Department is at 5656 South Maryland Avenue. The phone number is 773.702.6250.

Make a Therapy Appointment

UChicago Student Wellness is committed to promoting the mental health and well-being of UChicago students by providing accessible, high-quality, culturally sensitive mental health services. UChicago Student Wellness offers both short-term individual and couples therapy. You can call 773.834.WELL (773.834.9355) to make an appointment with a therapist.

If you know you would like long-term, ongoing therapy, or you decide you want to meet with a therapist outside of UChicago Student Wellness, our staff can work to help you find a therapist who accepts your insurance. We also have Clinical Case Managers on staff who can provide additional support in your search to find a therapist who may be a good fit for you.

Bring a Daily Aid Kit

Here are some suggestions for your first aid/daily aid kit items (bolded items are our recommended top priorities).

• Oral thermometer
• Rapid COVID tests
• Tylenol (acetaminophen/paracetamol)
• Ibuprofen
• Pepto-Bismol
• Band-Aids
• Antacids (Maalox, Tums, Mylanta)
• Antihistamine (Benadryl, Claritin (Loratadine),
• Allegra (Fexofenadine), Zyrtec (Cetirizine)
• Anti-itch cream (Hydrocortisone)
• Cough medicine (Delsym)
• Throat lozenges (Cepacol)
• Cough drops (Halls, Ricola)
• Ice pack
• Heating pad (or a warm pack)
• Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin, Bacitracin)
• Non-stick gauze
• Adhesive tape
• Tweezers
• Hand sanitizer

Make a Plan!

Check out more of our programs and services and make a plan of action! Transitions can be difficult, and we're here to help! If you need support in any way, please don't hesitate to reach out!