Boston University Student Health Services

Elite '09

8

92

Amy B.

Boston, MA

8/1/2009

I am going to be a senior and I have had good experiences with student health. When I was a freshman they used to have on call nurses who you could buzz at anytime- after I took a nasty fall down the stairs (SOBER thank you very much) I wanted to know if I needed stitches in my chin or not. The nurse checked me out and sent me on my way to the ER with a cab voucher but she was very kind! Last year I saw Dr. Pomponio who was excellent. Friends have also said that Dr. Denise Buckley is very good. While I can't vouch for all of the doctors at least these two I have not heard anything negative about. Recently I came in for a routine physical and the nurse practitioner was nice.

The behavioral medicine is located in the same building so if you have any mental health issues everything is in the same place, which I think is a great idea. I have heard good things about them from people who use their service (which by the way it's free to see on of the psychologists/psychiatrists...)

I have also come into SHS once for a massage appointment which a great service they offer to students at only 40/hr. (Sha is great!)

So basically I find SHS to be just fine. Sure, if you have a seroius medical issue you are much better just going straight to the hospital but for minor/ routine issues they do a pretty job.

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10

68

A P.

Brighton, MA

1/31/2009

If you're a BU student, and you get sick, and someone tells you to go to Student Health, you'll reply, "They'll just say I'm pregnant." Even if you are male.

I am wholly perplexed that any of these doctors completed some form of  medical school, since they are so amazingly incompetent. One of their more irresponsible policies (and I kid you not, it's a policy that they will come right out and tell you) is that they do not give out antibiotics. Ever. If you have a respiratory infection, they will tell you that you are asthmatic and give you an inhaler, even if you have never shown any asthmatic tendencies in your life. If you have anything else wrong with you, they diagnose allergies, a psychosomatic disorder, or pregnancy.

My boyfriend once had Student Health tell him he had an ulcer "from stress", even though ulcers are caused by bacteria. When we went to the emergency room, they diagnosed him with appendicitis. FAIL.

Student Health has taken a recent turn towards being very big in sexual health matters, so not only do they tend to think you are pregnant/have an STD/need a condom, but it's much easier to get condoms there than actual medical advice. They have a condescending, dismissive attitude towards students, as though you are too stupid to know when you are sick. They also tend to view most students as excessive partiers or hypochondriacs.

If you look at WebMD or the Student Health website, both have symptom checkers/flowcharts. I have found that they will give you more accurate advice than the doctors at Student Health.

If you go to BU, and you do not have the BU Chickering Insurance, make yourself familiar with the walk-in clinics in the area, and try to use them if you get sick, since Student Health is worse than staying home and self-treating. (I recommend the walk-in clinic at Mass General Hospital.)  If you do need to use Student Health, your only chance of getting a halfway competent diagnosis is seeing a Nurse Practitioner. Stick to them!

Student Health visits are free for students, but if you need anything (tests, x-rays, shots) and you don't have the BU insurance, they will not submit it to a non-Chickering insurance company, so you will have to pay out-of-pocket for it.

At any given time, Student Health is responsible for the health and well-being of 35,000 students...scary, huh?

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