Yes. The services at the Student Health & Wellness Center are available to any currently enrolled fulltime Whittier College student. Part-time undergraduates, traditional graduates or Law students are eligible to use our services provided they pay a health fee at their first visit. You don't have to purchase the Student Health Plan to be seen at the health center. Medical visits are free, however, there are supplementary fees for lab tests, Rx medications, vaccinations, TB skin tests and some procedures.
If you attended school in the United States, your last school/college may have a record of your required immunizations. You should also check with your primary care physician and parent(s) to see what records they do have. If you are still unable to provide documentation of your immunizations, you will need to obtain lab tests called titers that will indicate whether or not you are immune to the vaccine you are being screened for. Some vaccines do not have titers, so you will need to get additional vaccinations to get you current on your immunizations. If any titers come back negative indicating that you are not immuned to the vaccine being screened for, you will need additional vaccines in this case as well.
Appointments for routine visits such as physical exams and PAP smears are required. Appointments for illnesses and injuries and other types of appointments are highly recommended to avoid long wait times. Urgent care walk-in clinic is available on Mondays between 8:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m. To schedule any appointment at the Student Health & Wellness Center, call us at 562.464.4548.
Medical information may not be released without the written consent of the patient. If parents have questions or concerns, health center staff can answer generalized questions, but cannot violate patient confidentiality that is protected by law. Students are responsible for notifying parents or guardians of their condition, except in the case of a serious emergency.
It depends on what medications you need. The Student Health & Wellness Center is equipped to care for most common health care conditions to treat young adults and adolescents. We stock a variety over-the-counter medications and a variety of prescription medications used to treat common illnesses or injuries, such as many antibiotics, birth control pills, emergency contraceptives, topicals, eye, nose and ear medications, etc. If you have specific medication needs, please call the health center for further guidance. Rx medications may be dispensed to you at the health center or you may be given a prescription to take with you to take to a local pharmacy. Psychotropic medications should be requested from your own provider or the mental health nurse practitioner at the Counseling Center.
We believe in continuity of care and all efforts will be made to schedule you with the same provider. However, this cannot be guaranteed. Our clinic is staffed by nurse practitioners and an LVN. In addition, you may not be available on the day that provider is here. Requesting to see the same nurse practitioner may be available depending on schedule.
Always bring your student ID and your health insurance card with you. Proof of your health insurance card is especially needed for some outsourced lab services. If you do not bring a copy of your insurance card at the time labs are drawn, you may be asked to pay out of pocket for those services.
It is important to arrive on time and, preferably, a few minutes early to your appointment to allow adequate time to complete necessary forms. If you have an appointment and are running late, please call us to inform us of your situation and we will let you know if you can still be seen that day or shifted to a different time slot or day. This will depend on the reason for your visit. Serious illnesses and injuries will be accommodated into the schedule. If you cannot make your appointment, please call us 24 hours in advance. Failure to show up for your appointment without advance notice will result in a $20.00 NO SHOW fee to be charged to your student account.
