Health Clinics Chicago IL

Check off Your Checkups

If you want to stick to your hometown doctor, you’ll need to schedule appointments on breaks from school (which requires some planning). Otherwise, make sure you hit up these docs while you’re out of town:

• General practitioner: every six months to a year for a complete physical
• Dentist: once every six months to keep those pearly whites clean
• Gynecologist (for females): once a year for a Pap smear and pelvic exam
• Dermatologist: once a year
• Psychiatrist: varies on a person-by-person basis. You can schedule a visit with the school’s psychiatrist, who will help you make additional appointments from there, or you can ask your at-home doc for phone sessions

The Vaccine Scene

Many colleges require incoming students to have certain vaccinations since disease can spread like wildfire through dormitories. Make note of the vaccines your school requires and make sure you’ve got them taken care of. The following vaccinations, if not current, are suggested for college students by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis)
• MCV4 (meningococcal vaccine): specifically recommended for previously unvaccinated college freshmen living in dormitories
• Hepatitis B series
• Polio series
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
• Varicella (chickenpox): a second catch-up varicella shot is recommended for adolescents and adults who have previously received one dose

You may need these bad boys too, depending on your own specific health conditions or exposure in households to other people at risk:

• Influenza
• PPV (pneumococcal polysaccharide)
• Hepatitis A
• HPV (human papillomavirus): aka the cervical cancer vaccine, it’s a series of three shots for females only. Additional recommendations may be made if future research shows that the vaccine is also safe and effective for males.

Chances are you’ve probably already had most of these vaccines, but be sure to confirm with your doctor. And while you’re at it, ask for a copy of your medical records to stow at school. (You never know when you’re going to need those!) If you’re still worried, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. It also offers a free online quiz that tells you exactly which vaccines you may need.

Got Insurance?

Most colleges require students to have health insurance. If your school offers its own insurance, look into it, especially if you’re not covered ...