Student Health’s hours: Physician’s hours

Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.,… Student Health’s hours: Physician’s hours

Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., by appointment Saturday

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (walk-ins welcome)

Closed Sundays

Pharmacy hours

Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., by appointment

Closed Saturdays and Sundays

Danger ahead: you are about to enter a world where too many people live in too small a space, where there are grimy public buses, coed bathrooms, fraternity parties, dining hall hamburgers and nights with lots of caffeine and no sleep.

And all at once the germs will give you a swift roundhouse to the head: it starts as a sniffle, a cough or that stomachache that just won’t go away.

But who to call when the wallet is empty? Why, Student Health Service.

Conveniently located on the fifth floor of the Medical Arts Building on Fifth Avenue, between Oakland Avenue and Atwood Street, Student Health has physicians and nurse practitioners to help students. From gynecology to nutrition to pharmaceutics, they can answer questions and prescribe medicine to make you feel good enough to go to Chem. Lab. Well, probably not that good.

You can make an appointment easily over the phone, and there is usually no problem getting a convenient time. Inside, you can use the computer to check in, instead of waiting in line or trying to use the phone with that sore throat you got from your roommate. The waiting room is comfortable and adorned with televisions and informative brochures on numerous subjects.

The doctors and nurses are friendly and will give you good advice, sometimes based on their own experiences. They can also refer you to a specialized physician in the area.

As you will quickly discover, college students have a lot of things to worry about, and paying for an office visit or for medicine shouldn’t be among them. That’s why the $65 student health fee can be added to each semester’s tuition bill and paid up front so everything is covered, including allergy injections, contraception, X-Rays, dermatology and orthopedics.

The pharmacy is available to all students, not just those who have seen a physician or a nurse, and sells other necessary items, such as toothpaste and condoms.

To make an appointment with Student Health Service, call (412) 383-1800. Check out the Web site for more information at www.pitt.edu/~studhlth/.