Offering College Students Convenient Access to Quality Health Care Right on Campus

Pictured above, Cam Kelley, a junior at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, visits the Wellness Center on campus to receive medical care.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Partnership

While most college students look forward to a fun and relaxing spring break each school year, Cam Kelley’s breaks were anything but.

“As someone with a chronic illness, I found that all of my breaks were spent running to doctors’ appointments,” says Kelley, a junior at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “It’s hard to enjoy your spring break when you’re spending most of it at your general practitioner’s office.”

But now, thanks to a partnership between the college and MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital that began in fall 2017, Kelley and all St. Mary’s students have convenient access to expert medical care, right on campus.

When college is in session, a MedStar Health physician’s assistant and medical assistant are on hand for four hours each weekday afternoon at the campus’ new wellness center, making it easy for students like Kelley to get the care they need, when they need it.

“Now, I can work my doctors’ appointments in around my class time,” she says.

Source: College Health Surveillance Network https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4673518/

“Our campus is located in an area not well served by public transportation,” says Wellness Center Director Laurie Scherer of St. Mary’s College. “Our partnership with MedStar Health gives students more time to attend to their studies, as they may receive great health care right on campus.”

In addition to receiving treatment for everyday student health issues, such as cold, flu, and pink eye, students also have access to expanded women’s health and mental health services, and a medication delivery service that brings prescriptions right to campus. In 2018, 565 students received care at the center.

“St. Mary’s College adds so much to what makes this community special,” says Lori Werrell, director of Population and Community Health. “And we want to do our part to ensure these great students receive the care they need.”