Navigating the FIU Student Health Portal: A Comprehensive Guide to Wellness Resources

An exciting academic journey awaits new and returning Panthers at Florida International University (FIU). While classes are a central part of the college experience, FIU offers a multitude of resources to support students' overall well-being, academic success, and career aspirations. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the FIU Student Health Portal and the various services and resources available to students.

Introduction: Embracing a Holistic Approach to Student Success

FIU recognizes that student success extends beyond the classroom. The university is committed to providing a supportive environment where students can thrive academically, personally, and professionally. With a wide range of resources available, FIU empowers students to make the most of their college experience and prepare for a successful future.

Accessing the FIU Student Health Portal

The FIU Student Health Portal serves as a central hub for accessing health and wellness services. Students can log in to the portal using their FIU credentials to schedule appointments, complete necessary forms, view medical records, and access a wealth of health-related information.

Health and Wellness Services

FIU Student Health & Wellness services are designed to support students on a holistic level, ensuring they have the physical and mental wellness needed to succeed both in and out of the classroom. Funded by the Health Fee, these services are accessible and affordable.

Primary Care and Routine Health

The FIU Student Health Center (SHC) offers comprehensive primary care services to address a wide range of student health needs. These services include:

Routine check-ups and physicals for school, travel, sports participation, or surgical clearance
Management of chronic conditions such as asthma and hypothyroidism
Expert, personalized care to support overall health

Acute Illness or Injury

The SHC provides care for acute illnesses and injuries, including:

Common colds, flu, bronchitis, and sore throats
Abdominal and urinary symptoms
Rashes, stomach and gastrointestinal discomfort, and headaches
Injuries such as bites, burns, back pain, sprains, strains, and abrasions

Gynecological Services and Contraceptive Counseling

The SHC offers comprehensive preventive and urgent gynecological care, including:

PAP Tests: Screening for cervical cancer, generally starting at age 21. It's recommended to schedule the test when you're not on your period, and for two days before, avoid tampons, sex, and vaginal medications.
Birth Control Counseling and Prescriptions: Personalized counseling and prescriptions to find the most suitable birth control method.
Menstrual Problems: Personalized care and support for menstrual health concerns like cramps, missed periods, or heavy bleeding.
Emergency Contraception: Access to emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Plan B One-Step® is currently available for FREE to all registered FIU students through a nursing appointment at the Student Health Clinics, courtesy of the FIU Student Government and FIU Sexual Education Club.
Pregnancy Testing and Options Counseling: Pregnancy testing and supportive discussions about results and options with trained healthcare providers.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Counseling and Testing: Early testing and treatment for STIs to prevent complications and reduce the spread of infections. Free STI testing is supported through a grant to Care Resource in partnership with the Healthy Living program (HLP), providing no-cost testing on campus for asymptomatic individuals.
UTI/ Urinary Tract Infections: Diagnosis and treatment for UTIs, addressing symptoms like burning during urination, frequent urges, or lower abdominal pain.
Vaginal Discharge: Assessment of changes in color, odor, or itching, with diagnostic tests like wet mounts to identify conditions like bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, or trichomoniasis.

Immunizations

Maintaining up-to-date immunizations is crucial for preventing the spread of illnesses on campus. FIU provides access to various vaccines, including:

Flu (limited quantity, available early in the season)
Gardasil 9 (HPV)
Hepatitis A and B
Meningitis
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
TDAP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis)
Varicella

Behavioral Health

The Student Health Clinics (SHC) supports your mental wellness with a team of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners and psychiatrists available to evaluate, diagnose, and treat common mental health conditions.

Services include:

Mood Disorders (Depression and Bipolar Disorder): Diagnosis and medication management to stabilize mood, reduce symptoms, and improve overall well-being.
Anxiety Disorders: Comprehensive care, including diagnosis and medication management, to help manage anxiety symptoms and enhance daily functioning.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Specialized care to support the management of trauma-related symptoms, in collaboration with the Victim Empowerment Program.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Diagnostic process to determine if you have ADHD. This starts with completing questionnaires and taking a computerized screening during your first visit. Then, you’ll meet with a psychiatrist to review your history, screening results, and questionnaires. If you’re diagnosed with ADHD, the psychiatrist can prescribe medication and work with you on a treatment plan to support your success.

Other Health and Wellness Services

FIU offers a variety of additional health and wellness services to support students' overall well-being:

Athletic Training: Free or low-cost on-site and clinical athletic training services for students with muscle injuries or conditions.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): A safe, confidential space to talk with licensed psychologists, social workers, and trained staff, providing individual counseling and programs to help you through any situation.
Disability Resource Center (DRC): Personalized consultations and resources to support students with disabilities throughout their college experience.
Healthy Living Program (HLP): Resources and programs to help students build healthy habits, cope with stress, and enhance their mood and well-being.
Victim Empowerment Program (VEP): Support services for students affected by trauma or abuse, including emotional support, counseling, and advocacy.

Utilizing the Health Fee

The Health Fee, a mandatory part of tuition, ensures that students have access to affordable, high-quality wellness services. Thanks to the Health Fee, students can access a wide range of services either free or at a reduced cost. These services include primary health care, health education and workshops, class presentations and health fairs, support and accommodations for disabilities, mental health counseling, and help for victims of emotional or physical abuse.

Additional Medical Resources

In addition to the services offered directly through FIU Student Health & Wellness, students can also access a variety of other medical resources on and off campus:

FIU Campus Chiropractic: Comprehensive chiropractic care located on the Modesto A. Maidique campus.
FIU Vision Unlimited: Expert optometry services and stylish eyewear options, also located on the Modesto A. Maidique campus.
FIU Health at Ambulatory Care Center: Specialty care services, including hematology, gynecology, and nephrology, managed by Baptist Health.
Student Well-being and Mental Health Services (SWMHS): Free, confidential counseling services exclusively for Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) medical students.
Care Resource: Medical services available to everyone, regardless of legal status, ability to pay, gender, or age.

Pawsitively Aware: Required Trainings

FIU requires all new undergraduate students to complete virtual online trainings on topics such as sexual assault prevention, hazing prevention, and career readiness. New graduate students are required to complete the sexual assault prevention and hazing prevention trainings. These trainings are available at no cost through FIU Develop.

Key Programs and Initiatives

FIU offers several key programs and initiatives to further support student success:

Panthers Connect Challenge: A student engagement initiative designed to help students make the most of their college experience, build affinity to FIU, and connect with fellow Panthers.
FIU Survival Guide: A comprehensive guide to help students navigate life at FIU, providing essential information and resources.
Panthers Care Resource Navigator: An application designed to help students find campus resources that can assist them with various challenges.
Textbook Affordability Act and Panther Book Pack program: Initiatives aimed at enhancing education access and affordability by reducing textbook and instructional material costs.

Important Policies and Procedures

Insurance: The Student Health Clinics only accept the student health insurance plan offered through Academic Health Plan (Aetna). Students with other insurance or no insurance can still receive care at the clinic, but may need to pay out of pocket for certain services.
Cancellation/Late Arrival Policy: To avoid fees, students must cancel appointments at least 24 hours in advance through the Patient Portal or by calling 305-348-8385.
Medical Records/Forms: Most medical information is available in the Student Health Portal. Students should complete all necessary forms online through the Patient Portal before their appointment to save time and ensure a smooth check-in process.

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