Student Health Center Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
First Aid
**We have a new Wellness Kiosk in our vestibule closest to Epicurean. The Wellness Kiosk contains many useful items for your acute medical care needs–particularly those mentioned below. Please see the full list of the kiosk’s contents.**
Upper Respiratory Illness (Cold, Flu, & Covid)
Upper respiratory illness, like the common cold, flu (influenza) or Covid, are contagious infections caused by a variety of viruses. Viruses can enter the body through your nose, eyes, or mouth. Viruses can be spread by you touching any one of these areas on your face or by touching infected surfaces, such as doorknobs, workout equipment, tables, etc. These upper respiratory illnesses share many common symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, runny/ stuffy nose, congestion, watery eyes, fatigue, body aches, headache, and/ or chills.
Common treatment options include:
- for fatigue, dizziness, and weakness: rest, hydration (drink plenty of fluids- Gatorade, Pedialyte, Liquid IV), and regular meals with healthy snacks
- for fever/pain relief: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)
- a true fever is a temperature of 100.4F or 38C or higher
- for most people, fevers only needed to be treated if you’re feeling uncomfortable
- for nasal congestion/runny nose:
- nasal steroid spray (fluticasone (Flonase) or triamcinolone (Nasacort)),
- nasal saline rinse or spray, decongestants (pseudoephedrine or guaifenesin),
- oral antihistamines (loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), or fexofenadine (Allegra))
- for coughs: consider treating for nasal congestion as above (most coughs are due to post-nasal drip) or see your provider to evaluate you for asthma/bronchospasms
For the latest guidelines on when to return to school, Georgetown University follows the CDC guidelines.
Abdominal Pain, Nausea, Vomiting, or Diarrhea
Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea can be a sign of gastrointestinal illness/ distress associated with a virus, something ingested, bacteria, etc. These symptoms can present all together or independently of one another. With a virus, the symptoms typically are self-resolving within 24-48 hours or at most a few days.
Symptoms include: abdominal discomfort, feeling of queasiness/ nausea or throwing up/ vomiting. Occasionally, you can also experience diarrhea, which is characterized by loose, watery stool. Most cases of diarrhea are mild and last only a few days.
Best treatment options include:
- adequate hydration (ie: Gatorade, Liquid IV, Ginger ale, Pedialyte);
- more bland diet such as BRAT diet (banana, rice, apple sauce and toast) or saltine crackers;
- over-the-counter medications as needed (Pepto Bismol, loperamide (Imodium), acetaminophen (Tylenol))
**If you have a fever (>100.4F or 38C), do not try to stop the diarrhea as this may prolong your illness.
Skin Rash/ Irritation
Rash or skin irritation involves changes of skin color, feeling, or texture. Skin rashes have many causes and vary widely in appearance. For example, skin rashes can be bumpy, smooth, dry, moist, cracked, or blistered.
Initial treatment options to consider to help with itch, swelling, and/ or pain include:
- topical steroids such as hydrocortisone (Cortisone, Cortaid, etc)-
- to reduce overall itch and swelling:
- oral antihistamine (loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), or fexofenadine (Allegra))
- ice/ cold packs or cool showers
- pain relievers (acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin))
- good moisturizer (Aquaphor, Cerave, Eucerin, or Cetaphil)
Dizziness
Dizziness is typically a vague symptom that is characterized by a sense of being unbalanced, unsteady or a sense that you or your surroundings are spinning/ moving. Symptoms include a feeling of faintness, woozy or floating, weakness, lightheadedness. Dizziness can be associated with headache, nausea or vomiting.
Treatment of dizziness typically focuses on treating the underlying cause. However, it is recommended that you stay well hydrated (water, Gatorade/ Pedialite/ Liquid IV) and eat healthy- balanced meals/ snacks and rest.
**Seek medical help if you if experience sudden dizziness accompanied with worsening headache, head injury, difficulty speaking, numbness/ tingling, chest pain, or racing heart.
If at any point your symptoms are worsening, please seek immediate medical attention.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
Does the Student Health Center provide STI screening and treatment?
Yes. We can provide a full array of testing and treatment for STIs.
How much will it cost?
This depends on your insurance. The Student Health Center charges insurance for every visit like a regular doctor’s office. If you have the United Healthcare Student Plan you will only be charged a $10 co-pay. If you have another insurance plan you should call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card to find out how much the visit will cost and how much testing for common sexually transmitted infections will cost (most commonly chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and syphilis)
Will my parents find out that I was tested?
It depends. If you have the student health insurance plan offered by Georgetown it is YOUR insurance, not your parents. Bills and statements should come directly to you, unless you have your home address as the default. If you are insured under your parents plan, then they will receive a statement of services, an “explanation of benefits” letter, that may well detail the tests done. It is difficult for us to predict how much information will be shared with each insurance policy. If you want complete confidentiality, you can pay for the visit and testing out of pocket and insurance will not be used.
If I don’t want to use insurance, how much would STI testing cost completely out of pocket?
If you are a return patient the office visit could cost up to $153 (all charges are as of 11/2016). If you are a new patient, the office visit could cost up to $227. There is an additional charge for labs: HIV – $20, Syphilis – $10, Gonorrhea – $35, Chlamydia – $35, Hep C AB – $40, Hep B S AB Quantitative $15, and there is also a $21 fee to draw your blood. While we are happy to do “self-pay” testing here at the Student Health Center, the DC Department of Health has several different options for free testing (see below)
What if I can’t afford the cost of STI screening?
Free STI testing is provided by the the DC Department of Health with several different options (walk-in at a Labcorp location, by mail at home or in person at the DC Health and Wellness Center).
GO TO getcheckeddc.org TO FIND OUT MORE.
Please speak with your healthcare provider if you have any other questions or concerns – your medical information is confidential.
Contraceptives
Will the Student Health Center prescribe contraceptives?
While we do not prescribe hormonal medicines solely for the purpose of contraception, we do provide prescription hormonal medicines if medically indicated for other purposes, including but not limited to: acne, irregular periods, heavy periods, cramps, and polycystic ovary syndrome.
What forms of the above medications can you prescribe?
Most all, if medically indicated.
Can I get the morning after pill at the hospital or Student Health Center?
No. However, this medication is available without a prescription at most major pharmacies.
Please speak with your healthcare provider if you have any other questions or concerns – your medical information is confidential.
LGBTQIA+ Services
The Student Health Center hopes to support the LGBTQIA+ community by providing the following services:
- HIV PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) including Truvada & Descovy
- STI PEP (Sexually transmitted illnesses post-exposure prophylaxis) with Doxycycline
- Routine STI testing
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer gender-affirming care but can direct you to preferred providers in the area.
Please refer to the following DC resources available to the community.
Please also review our limitations on your placing your chosen name on your medical records.
ADHD/ADD Medications
If you are seeking a prescription refill for a medication to treat ADHD or ADD that has never been provided before by the SHC, please read the Process to Obtain Prescriptions for ADHD/ADD from either CAPS or SHC. You will need to provide the documentation listed in the policy above prior to your appointment. Refills will not be provided until you are seen and all documentation is reviewed. We will require that you agree to and sign the GUH Student Health Center and GU Counseling and Psychiatric Services (SHC/CAPS) Psyco-Stimulant Policy and Patient Contract.
Once you have established care with the SHC and are able to get ADHD/ADD prescriptions with us, students should make refill appointments at least one week in advance (ideally one month in advance) and with the same provider. Students will be denied same-day ADHD/ADD prescription refill appointments.
Insurance, MLOA, & Medical Records
Health Insurance
How do I find answers to questions about the Student Health Insurance plan that the University offers to students?
Georgetown University Student Health Insurance administration is separate and apart from the Student Health Center. Please refer to the Student Health Insurance website for answers to most of your questions and contact information.
If I have insurance through the university, am I covered for all visits and procedures?
Please refer to the UnitedHealthcare’s Student Health Insurance Premier Plan documents for details on coverage for all visits and procedures.
If I have private health insurance (any insurance plan not through the university), how do I know what I am covered or and what my costs will be?
Please refer back to your current health insurance carrier for benefits and services.
My private insurance has lapsed or my coverage will end soon. Can I speak to someone at Georgetown about getting insurance through the university? How do I apply for insurance through the university?
Please refer to Eligibility and Mandatory Coverage for more information on how to apply for insurance.
Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA)
Georgetown University recognizes that students may experience physical and/or mental health issues that significantly limit their ability to function successfully or safely in their role as students. In those situations, students should consider requesting a medical leave of absence (MLOA), which permits students to take a break from University life and their studies, receive appropriate treatment and support, and later return to the University to complete their studies. To learn more about the MLOA process please visit the Dean of Students Website.
Medical Records
Requests for medical records from the Student Health Center should be submitted using a Medical Records Request Form. Once completed please send the form through your MyMedStar Patient Portal account or fax the form to (877) 346-1469. If you have any questions about requesting your medical records or how to complete and return the request form, please call us at (202) 687-2200.