The Student Health Center is staffed by physicians and nurse practitioners who have made a commitment to a career in college health. As you peruse our staff section, you will notice that many of our staff have been at our Health Center for many years.
For many of us, as we remember our own college days, we recollect the college health center as a place for a nurse to simply put on a bandaid and send us on our way. Those days have changed! At our Student Health Center, we are able to provide comprehensive care that can meet the needs of most students on our campus. We are also fortunate to have the Medical Center only steps away from our clinic in the event that specialty care or emergency department services are needed.
It is important for the SHC to be able to create trust in its relationships with patients. In addition, the HIPAA laws require strict confidentiality between patient and health-care provider. Therefore, we are careful to require specific permission from students before we communicate with parents, even about seemingly simple and “non-private” things such as mononucleosis. We cannot always assume that a young adult may want parents involved in his or her health care decisions. For the parents, this will be a change from your relationship with your child’s pediatrician, and may take some patience on your part as we seek to get your student’s explicit consent before having a conversation.
The staff of the Student Health Center is dedicated to the nurturing and cost-effective delivery of care to the student population at Vanderbilt. If your student requires care at the SHC during his/her years at Vanderbilt, we pledge to be your student’s “home away from home” during times of illness. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
