Staying Healthy at Oberlin

Nobody likes being sick, but at some point or another during your college experience, it’s likely you will be. A lot of parents and students are curious about what the healthcare offerings are like at Oberlin, and what support is available to students who are ill or need emergency medical care. The answer is--a lot! Therefore, today's topic is going to be everything you need to know about the healthcare services available to you at Oberlin. 

1. Student Health Services. This is an on-campus office located in Dascomb Hall, which is incredibly central to most dorms at Oberlin. Regardless of insurance status, students can receive free healthcare here. Some of the services offered are:
   1. Annual physical examinations.
   2. Select laboratory tests.
   3. Acute care services such as symptoms related to flu, stomach viruses, or minor injuries. 
   4. Women’s health services such as Pap smears and contraceptive counseling.
   5. STI testing and medication for HIV prevention.
2. Mercy Health--Oberlin Walk-in Clinic and Emergency Room. For conditions that aren’t categorized as an emergency the urgent care walk-in clinic at Mercy Hospital is a great option. My friend was able to get her sprained ankle taken care of there very quickly! Do be warned, unlike the emergency room the walk-in clinic does have certain hours of operation (usually closing at 5pm). The emergency room at Mercy Health is good for major medical emergencies and 24-hour care. The hospital is only a few minutes walk off campus so it’s very walkable, but in major medical emergencies campus health has been known to drive students over to the hospital, which is very sweet!
3. Oberlin Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS). This is a great office that offers free mental health and counseling support to all students free of charge. Here are a few of the services available to students: 
   1. Urgent walk-in services during select hours of the day. 
   2. Short-term individual counseling.
   3. Couples counseling.
   4. Psychiatric services are offered several days a week, thanks to a contract with University Hospitals of Cleveland.
   5. Educational outreach and workshops.
   6. UWill teletherapy available to all students that use their Oberlin email to sign up.

In addition to these primary services there are so many other healthcare services on campus. For instance, there are regular pop-up STI testing from Family Planning Services of Lorain Country, free flu and Covid vaccinations every fall, and the opportunity to meet 1-on-1 with peer Wellness Ambassadors. I hope this list puts your mind at ease--here’s to a healthy semester at Oberlin!