Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if the Health Center is closed and I need to be seen?
You may call the After Hours NurseLine at 301.314.9386. This service is free. You must provide your UID.
You may decide whether or not you can wait until the Health Center re-opens (usually the next morning). Please see our hours of operation.
The alternative is to seek care at a local hospital. You are responsible for any medical bills incurred off campus. If you are faced with a medical emergency, call 911 for assistance.
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How is the Health Center staffed?
Clinical services are provided by licensed Medical Physicians, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners, and Certified Physician Assistants between 8:00a.m. and 5:00p.m. weekdays. Our nursing staff is available and our physicians are on call evenings and Saturdays when the UHC is open to assess your needs and provide treatment, or make a referral as appropriate.
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What should I do if I miss class because of an illness?
A Letter from the Provost to the University, May 6, 2004:
At the request of the Senate Executive Committee, at the end of this semester the Health Center will stop giving out pink slips indicating that a student has been seen at the Center. (They will, however, continue to give out a more detailed form to a student who has had an illness for one week or more or who has been hospitalized.) The Attendance and Assessment Policy of the University requires that students furnish documentation when requesting an excused absence. Apparently some students and some instructors were under the impression that the pink slips provided such documentation, when in fact that slip testified to nothing more than the fact that the student had gone to the Health Center.
Each instructor should carefully consider his or her own class rules regarding documentation. An alternative to the pink slip could be simply a note from the student, handwritten, dated and signed, giving the details of the reasons for an absence. Since all students are bound by the University of Maryland's Code of Academic Integrity, such a note certainly would carry more weight than a pink slip.
William W. Destler, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost
Joel M. Cohen, Chair of the University Senate
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What happens if I need to be admitted to a hospital or see a specialist?
Occasionally a student will need to be sent to a hospital for a serious illness or injury, or to a specialist for services not provided at the Health Center. The Health Center maintains an extensive referral list of specialists and hospitals in the local community. You will be referred, at your own expense, to these providers when necessary, which is a good reason to be sure you have health insurance.
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Who serves as a student voice to the Health Center administration?
The Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) acts as a student voice to the UHC administration. SHAC members sit on a variety of committees. SHAC also works closely with the Director of the UHC in response to any comments, complaints, suggestions, or compliments received by the UHC. You can contact SHAC at shac@health.umd.edu.
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How can I register a comment, complaint, suggestion, or compliment?
If you have a comment, complaint, suggestion, or compliment about our services you can fill out a form and place it in our Suggestion Box located in the elevator lobby of the University Health Center. You can also send us feedback online. The Student Health Advisory Committee responds to all comments and suggestions. Each comment is then forwarded to the Director of the Health Center for appropriate action.
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