McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle
MJ is a sophomore studying Earth and Environmental Science. She is the Opinions Editor for the Marlin Chronicle.
When members of VWU’s student population aren’t feeling 100%, the Student Health Center is the logical place to go. However, some students note that their experiences with the center have left them discouraged, opting out of a visit. All students quoted in this article responded to a form circulated by the Marlin Chronicle.
There are several reasons, speaking to individual experiences and functionality issues, that lead students away. The most circulated complaint is on the center’s limited hours. The Student Health Center is only open from 10am-2pm on weekdays, which parallels the most frequent time of day for classes. It is completely closed through the weekend. These hours limit the opportunity for students to visit the center if they are not feeling well, having to decide between skipping a class or seeking care.
The center is small, with there being just two staff and one examination room, and the waiting room only having capacity for a maximum of 4 people.The small size can not accommodate our student population.
“I went in the morning around 11:00 am and they were already closed because they were “at capacity” and could no longer take any other students,” Isabella Grosswiler, a junior, said.
Given the usual wait time and short hours, many students do not have the time in their day to receive care from the center. I personally have left before being seen by a nurse because the wait was too long and an appointment would have run into my class time. I know I am not alone in this.
To give the center some grace, it is not the staff’s fault that the center is small or reaches capacity so often, and it is unlikely that the hours are on them either. With the frequency of these issues, it does beg the question as to why things have yet to change, and why solutions have not been implemented. How can the VWU student population, or the university as an institution, help the Student Health Center help students? “A current student could intern and help to increase the hours from what they currently are” McKenna Howenstine, a sophomore, said. I would like to think that additional staffing, operating on an appointment-registration system, and/or a clinic size upgrade would alleviate the center’s major issues.
A connecting issue to limited care is the price tag. Student Health Insurance is roughly $1,600 annually and does not cover appointments outside clinic hours. Questioning this mandatory insurance’s usefulness,
“We all have to pay or opt-out of the (very hefty) student health insurance fees every year. Realistically, shouldn’t that cover the Health Center’s services? It’s marketed as a free on-campus clinic, but if they don’t even provide basic services like COVID-19 testing for students who may be in the early asymptomatic-yet-contagious stages, what’s the point?” a sophomore said.
Many students who seek care at the center go in to be tested for things like COVID-19, the flu, and/or strep throat. Anyone who is asymptomatic is turned away from testing, even if they have had prolonged contact (i.e being roommates or housemates) with an infected person.
“We have the Student Health Center because we can’t afford to go elsewhere and buy tests. I don’t even bother going because it’s never even helpful,” Milo Schuele, a sophomore who was turned away from a COVID test, said. Given the price of health insurance, that should be able to cover a $35 COVID-19 test, even if it’s proactive.
Penny-pinching practices like these are harmful to the student population. Those who can go purchase a test off campus or see an alternate medical professional usually do, making the Student Health Center nearly useless in regards to testing. Those that can not afford this simply do not get tested, and can go on to infect others or worsen in conditions themselves.
Aside from these general claims, some students have had personal negative experiences regarding care. One student, a senior at VWU, claimed that they went in for an antibiotic prescription and were questioned on irrelevant factors such as weight and exercise habits. As for attitude in the clinic, the minority of students, 44%, in a survey said the staff was pleasant, while the remainder of those surveyed noted that the staff is unreliably well-mannered, somewhere in between accommodating and rude.
My experiences align similarly to those of other students. The hours given and the size of the center have created the majority of my issues with the center, but I understand that most of these issues are out of the control of the staff. Even a less-than-enthusiastic temperament is understandable, given that just two people are trying to meet the medical needs of an entire campus.
All things considered, I am grateful to have this as a campus resource. I hope in the near future the Student Health Center can receive more support so that they are more equipped and able to genuinely help students. Accessible virus testing and longer hours would be a great start.
By MJ Matthews
mjmatthews@vwu.edu
