<p>Just wondering if anyone has had any experiences with the USC Health Center on the USC main campus and/or the Keck Med Center docs. Anyone have any very positive or negative experiences with any of this?</p>
<p>When I spoke with the Student Health Center, they said students can't stay overnight, so if they need overnight care, they need to go to the ER or the Keck Med Center (& there are free shuttles between USC main campus & Keck Med Center). </p>
<p>Anyone recommend any good internist or family medicine doc?</p>
<p>I know that when I was an undergrad in the 70s at UOregon, I had to stay overnight at the health center on at least 2 separate occasions. It was a short walk from my dorm room. Would NOT have wanted to have to go to an ER via shuttle or ambulance, but I guess if it was more serious it would have happened.</p>
<p>The Student Health Center on University Park Campus is extremely small given the number of people it serves. The quarters are cramped, and some areas aren't very private. I believe the building dates from the 1950s when it was constructed as a small infirmary for the school.</p>
<p>I've heard many students complain about long waits and inefficient service. However, I've only gone there for vaccinations and a minor injury, and I found the service to be satisfactory both times. </p>
<p>A new health center is supposedly going to be included as part of a new student center but I think that won't be finished until 2010. In the meantime, I think the center is adequate but I certainly wouldnt want to visit it regularly if I had a chronic illness. I also worry in the event of any catastrophe on campus, the center would be overwhelmed. </p>
<p>Thanks for the comments--good to know in advance. Most campuses would be overwhelmed if there was a catastrophe on campus, so I would try not to worry about that. At least USC has shuttles to & a relationship with Keck Medical Center (where it's med school is) & could use that to provide medical service.
Thanks for the link about upcoming construction--seems to be quite a bit of it at USC, with the new dorms & now new student center & health center.</p>
<p>I hate the health center. I have had problems, and pretty much everyone I have talked to has had problems. I was given a medication that had interactions with a medication I was already taking, even though I told my doctor what I was taking. My roommate ended up in the ER first semester thanks to an allergic reaction to a medication she was given by the health center. When I went to the health center about the drug interaction they told me that there shouldn't have been any problem because the only side effects are neurological, I'm on a medication for migraines, which works on a neurological level. Once they told me about the neurological side effects I was able to figure out the problem myself, but they never completely understood why I had a problem. To say the least I was not impressed.
If you have your own insurance I would highly recommend finding an off campus doctor, maybe your family doctor could make a recommendation. I haven't done this yet, but I really need to.</p>
<p>Really, it all depends on your problems. Thus far, I have gone to the health center several times, and have never had any issues. Once for a cold, a few times for eye infections, once for feminine issues, and once for an ankle injury. They have x-rays there, so I was able to get my ankle checked and did physical therapy with them, which was very effective and cheap compared to normal costs. Some people really hate it, but I have never had to wait any longer than I would have to have waited at a regular doctor's office.</p>
<p>The main problem is that they are barely opened on weekends, and not open nights. Therefore, you either have to fend for yourself, or an ambulance takes you to the hospital. If you have private insurance, make sure you tell it to the ambulance drivers (if you are conscious, that is), because then they may not take you to the very crowded county ER that is closest to campus.</p>
<p>Yea, we have private insurance & I'm thinking about trying to find son a family doc at Keck (USC's med school), since the USC shuttles would take son there & back for free. Under our private insurance, visits would only be $15 each & we also have Rx coverage. Anyone with experience on this? Also, does the shuttle to & from USC/Keck run nights and/or weekends? How far is it between those places & how else can folks without cars get between them?</p>
<p>The nurse I spoke with at Keck had nothing but praise for the docs there & said she'd be a patient there except she has a policy not to be a patient where she works with the docs--too weird.</p>
<p>When I was a student in the 70s & 80s, the docs at our student health centers weren't docs I would have hired if I had any choice in the matter. They worked out OK for when I needed them (mono & food poisoning), but I would not have wanted to go to them for on-going care with chronic health issues.</p>
<p>I've heard of other students who have had need of care beyond what is offered at USC's "infirmary." Will continue to gather info.</p>
<p>Is the return shuttle similar (Health Sciences Campus to University Park Campus)? How long does it take to get between the campuses? Will it be running in July & August, when there is no school? Thanks!</p>
<p>It's about a 20 or 30 minute ride depending on the traffic. The return shuttles operate the same hours as the HSC-bound shuttles.</p>
<p>I do not know about the summer schedule for USC trams. There will certainly be some because there will still be summer students and graduate students on campus.</p>
<p>Yeah, similar to what the other students said, the student health center is small and overcrowded. It took me 2 1/2 hours to be seen by a doctor (actually, it was a P.A.).</p>
<p>However, since I don't plan on using the health center that often, it's not a huge problem for me.</p>
<p>haha...let me say something positive about the health center. i was having chest pains, and although the wait was long, it wasnt unbearable.</p>
<p>plus, the physician that dealt with me was pretty cool. after some chest xrays, it turned out that my lung had collapsed a little and he arranged a meeting with an pulmonary specialist on the health science campus (pretty close by tram) and checked up with me after the ordeal was all over just to make sure i was ok. so overall my experience was pretty positive</p>
<p>I've only been to the health center on occasion for minor things (i.e., flu shot) and they were always nice and speedy, and even when I botched up the paperwork they were very helpful about it :)</p>
<p>Plus, health charges from there go on the student account, which is good, because even with free/cheap health care sometimes the fees add up and if you're sick you don't want to deal with payment and such.</p>
<p>I think the trick is, if it's not urgent, try and go at a time when it won't be busy.</p>
<p>These insights are very helpful. Our friend who just graduated USC & is in 1st year med school now used to work at the student health center & said he never had trouble getting medical care there either & it was OK. Good to read that the doc even followed up on you with the collapsed lung & was able to refer you & get you the care you needed.</p>