Comprehensive Guide to Student Health Services Resources

New York City is a hub for students attending prestigious institutions, and ensuring their well-being is crucial for their academic success and personal development. Student health services offer a wide array of resources tailored to meet the unique needs of this population. This article provides a detailed overview of these services, including access to medical care, mental health support, immunization requirements, and insurance options.

Introduction

Student health services play a vital role in supporting the overall well-being of students, providing access to medical care, mental health services, and health education. These services are designed to address the unique health challenges faced by students and promote a healthy campus environment.

Accessing Student Health Services in NYC

Navigating student health services in New York City is straightforward. Students should contact their respective health centers, such as the Student Health Services (SHS) at City College of New York (CCNY) or the NYU Student Health Center, to access the resources they need.

Contacting Health Centers

Students can easily contact their health centers for assistance. For example, the SHS at CCNY can be reached at 160 Convent Avenue, Marshak Science Building, Room J15, New York, New York 10031. St. John's University Student Health Center can be reached at 718-990-6360.

Operational Hours

The operational hours of student health centers vary. For instance, the SHS at CCNY operates Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. St. John's University Student Health Services hours are Monday-Thursday 8:30am to 4:30pm and Friday 8:30am to 3:00 pm EST. Note that the SHS office is closed on Fridays during summer break.

Read also: Comprehensive Health Overview

Comprehensive Health Services Offered

Student health centers offer a wide range of services to address the diverse health needs of students. These services include clinical care, mental health support, and preventive care.

Clinical Health Services

The Baruch College Student Health Care Center provides students with a comprehensive range of clinical health services, including evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries. St. John's University Student Health Services offers services similar to a community urgent care, including:

Illness (e.g., sore throat, COVID-19, and the flu)
Injuries (e.g., sprains, strains, cuts, and bruises)
Lab tests and screenings (e.g., COVID-19, strep throat, flu, urinary tract infections, MMR titers, and PPD readings)
Flu shots
Annual flu vaccine clinics
Referrals for imaging (e.g., X-ray)
After-hours telemedicine visits

At St. John's University, LabCorp and Main Street Radiology Services are billed to the student's health insurance or can be paid out of pocket. All other services are free of charge.

Mental Health Services

NYU's Student Health Center (SHC) emphasizes mental health support with services available through the 24/7 Wellness Exchange Hotline, ensuring students have access to help whenever they need it. At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), all students and trainees have access to confidential mental health services through the Student and Trainee Mental Health Program (STMH).

Preventive Care

Student health centers also offer preventative care services to promote student health and well-being. St. John's University Student Health Services offers free 24-7 access to medical care to ALL enrolled students, with no insurance required. The campus student health center offers a full array of primary care, occupational medicine, and preventive health services for all of our matriculated students, including: physical examinations, chronic disease management, treatment of acute illness, routine gynecologic care and contraceptive management, immunizations, and management of infectious exposures in the clinical setting.

Immunization Requirements

It is vital for students to comply with state immunization laws, especially regarding Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Meningitis. These requirements must be met to enroll in classes, highlighting the importance of public health within the student community. As soon as possible after June 1, all students must submit proof of immunization to Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) as well as either proof of meningococcal vaccination or a declination form. Students who are not in compliance with these university requirements and New York State laws will not be permitted to move into their residence hall and will not be able to attend classes.

MMR Immunization Options

Students must satisfy one of the following three options for MMR immunization compliance:

Option 1: Two doses of the MMR vaccine are required. Dose #1 must be administered no more than four days prior to your first birthday. Dose #2 must be administered no less than 28 days after your first dose. A MMR immunization given before 1968 is acceptable only if the immunization record specifies that the vaccine was a live virus vaccine.
Option 2: Measles: Two doses of the measles vaccine are required for compliance. Dose #1 must be administered no more than four days prior to your first birthday. Dose #2 must be administered no less than 28 days after your first dose. If a student is unable to access his/her immunization record from a health care provider or previous school, documentation that proves the student attended primary or secondary school in the United States after 1980 will be sufficient proof that the student received one dose of live measles vaccine. If this option is used, the second dose of measles vaccine must have been administered within one year of attendance at a post-secondary institution.Mumps: One dose of the Mumps Vaccine is required for compliance. Dose # 1 must be administered no more than four days prior to your first birthday.Rubella: One dose of the Rubella Vaccine is required for compliance. Dose # 1 must be administered no more than four days prior to your first birthday.
Option 3: Submit a MMR IgG Antibody titers lab report that shows proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

Accessing Immunization Records

St. John’s University will retain medical records for 7 years post a student's graduation or departure from the University. If it has been more than 7 years, you should contact your pediatrician, primary care doctor or state registry for your immunization records. If you received your immunizations in New York, you can visit Locating Old Immunization Records. If you received your immunizations outside of New York, please see Immunization Registries by State.

Accessing Immunization Records Online

Sign into your signon.stjohns.edu account with your university credentials.
Select the icon “Medicat Student Health Services & Wellness”.
Under Student Health Service select "Get Started"
Select the “Immunization" page.
Select the green "Print" button to print all of your immunizations.
Then go to the “Upload” page, and scroll down to the bottom.

Any form that you submitted to St. John's should be accessible for you to print (e.g. actual copies of medical forms you submitted from your doctor).

If You Do Not Remember Your Sign-on Credentials

AND have Graduated from St. John's Within 1 Year: Contact the Office of the Registrar for your X number if you do not remember it. ETPhone: 718-990-1339
OR It Has Been More Than 1 Year Since You Graduated but Less Than 7 Years: Contact Student Health Services:Office hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30am to 4:30pm and Friday 8:30am to 3:00 pm EST. Please note: The SHS office is closed on Fridays during summer break.Phone: 718-990-6360You will need to submit:An authorization for release of records form.Copy of your photo ID.

Insurance Options

Yes, CUNY does offer student health insurance options. Through its collaboration with the Human Resources Administration's Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access, the university provides facilitated enrollers on campus to assist eligible students in navigating various health insurance options. At NYU's Student Health Center (SHC), every matriculated student can access medical and counseling services, regardless of their insurance status. One of the most attractive aspects of the SHC is that all services provided are either free or offered at very low costs.

Navigating COVID-19

Accessing student health services in NYC during the COVID-19 pandemic is straightforward. Students should reach out to their respective health centers, including the Student Health Services (SHS) at City College of New York (CCNY) or the NYU Student Health Center. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, it's advisable to schedule a virtual appointment or directly call your health center for immediate guidance. In addition, vaccination remains highly recommended for all students.

COVID-19 Guidelines

If you test positive for COVID, you are encouraged to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines. These include staying home and away from others; returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall (CDC.gov). Students may find the New York City Department of Health’s COVID page to be helpful. If you test positive and are seeking Notice of Absence for a class, please note that a PCR test is required.

Utilizing Technology for Healthcare Access

Technology plays a crucial role in facilitating access to student health services.

Medicat Patient Portal

St. John's University uses the Medicat Patient Portal. If you have a general medical question or an immunization compliance question please send a secure message to Student Health Services via the Medicat Patient Portal.

Login into signonstjohns.edu with your university credentials
Select the "Medicat Student Health Services & Wellness" tile
Scroll down to Student Health Services and select "Get Started"
On the left hand side of page, select "Messages"
Select "Compose"
Select "Student Health Services"
Compose your secure message
Click "Submit"

Please do not send appointment requests or cancellations through secure messaging, instead call the health center at 718-990-6360. Using your phone is a convenient way to access and use the Medicat Patient Portal. To ensure that you are having the best user experience, we recommend using the screen rotation function.

Telemedicine Services

St. John’s University Student Health Services is partnering with Northwell Rapid Virtual Care to provide all matriculated students with after hour telemedicine services. This after hour service will be at no cost to students as long as students: (1) let the Northwell Rapid Virtual Care provider(s) know that they are a St. John’s University student to confirm eligibility; and (2) permit Northwell Rapid Virtual Care to share information related to the telemedicine encounter back with St. John’s University's Student Health Services so that we can direct any further follow-up care. As an extension of Student Health Services, Northwell Rapid Virtual Care will share information necessary to provide seamless continuity of care. If you do not wish to identify yourself as a St. John's student to Northwell Rapid Virtual Care, you will be financially responsible for the telemedicine encounter(s).

Emergency Contacts

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 OR if you are on campus, call Public Safety at 718-990-5252.

Student Health Services Staff at St. John's University

St. John’s University’s Student Health Services Department for the Queens Campus includes:

Tatum Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP-BCFamily Nurse Practitioner. She joined Student Health at St. John's in March of 2023 and feels privileged to be caring for students at this time in their young adult lives.
Mark Winkler, FNP-BCNurse Practitioner. Over the course of his 17-year career, he has been committed to compassionate patient care and community advocacy.
Elissa Martin, AGPCNP-BCAdult Nurse Practitioner. Elissa is excited to join the incredible team at SHS at St. John’s University in September 2025 and is thrilled to be working with such a unique population of young adults.
Nicole Casten, RNRegistered Nurse. Nicole joined the Student Health Services team in June 2022 having 10 years of previous college health experience.
Rhiannon Alton, RNRegistered Nurse. Rhiannon joined the St. John's Student Health Services team as an RN in February 2023.
Kristine AlidoFront Desk/Medical Record Specialist. Kristine joined Student Health at St. John's in March of 2023 and is eager to bring high quality customer service skills to an established medical facility that will enable her to utilize all the skills she has acquired from past experiences.

Additional Resources at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS)

At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS):

The Student Health Center offers physical exams, illness visits, vaccine administration, sexually transmitted infection and HIV testing, gynecologic exams, and medication refills.
The Well-Being and Work Experience Core is dedicated to the well-being and resilience of students, trainees, researchers, and clinical and non-clinical faculty within the Mount Sinai Health System.
IcahnBeWell is a student-run group dedicated to improving the well-being of every medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

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