The Student Health Center (SHC) at CSU Stanislaus offers affordable medical care to students on campus. The SHC is a fully accredited outpatient clinic that provides students with primary medical care, health education, wellness programs, and disease prevention services.

It is conveniently located near the Student Center and is easily accessible from anywhere on campus. Students’ tuition automatically covers visits to the SHC, meaning that booking appointments is free for students.

SHC offers a variety of health services. In the event that they are unable to help, the staff can help students get in contact with doctors outside of school.

Students who require additional care can receive discounts through SHC with suggested doctors. Prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs can be found at the SHC pharmacy for discounted prices.

Jeremiah Washington (Leadership Studies, Senior) has been working at the SHC for about a month and a half through the College Corps program. His role is focused on outreach and helping students become more aware of the services the SHC offers.

Washington emphasizes that many students are unaware of the wide range of services available, from physical exams and tuberculosis shots to prescriptions.

“We pay for the Student Health Center, it’s in our fee, and so it’s a good idea to take advantage of it,” he said.

As someone closely involved in the daily operations of the SHC, Washington highlighted the organized and supportive work environment. Each day begins with morning debriefs and a focus on teamwork.

“There’s a passion for student health, which is evident in how we approach our work,” he said.

Thursday is particularly special for Washington because of the increased student engagement.
“Thursday is, I think, my favorite day because that’s the day when more people are coming in… So if you’re going to come by any of our tabling, Thursday’s the day,” he said.

These tabling events often include activities like bracelet-making, candy giveaways, and coloring, all aimed at attracting students and spreading the word about the SHC’s services.

In addition to outreach, Washington promotes important health services available at the SHC, including free STI testing until the end of the month.

“There’s usually a small fee, about twenty dollars or under, but right now it’s free. So take that opportunity,” he urged, highlighting a service that many students don’t realize is available.

Washington is working on bringing creative initiatives to campus to promote student well-being. One such initiative is “Bubble Day,” where students can walk through a stream of bubbles, an activity that he believes can help create a more welcoming atmosphere for students and encourage them to take advantage of SHC services.

Emily Gonzalez (Agriculture, Senior) recently learned about the SHC and was able to utilize its resources. She didn’t realize how easy and affordable it was and she was able to receive assistance at a lower cost than if she were to go through her primary health provider.

“I needed to do an ultrasound that they couldn’t do there, so they referred me and if my insurance didn’t cover it then I can get a discount through them,” she said

Gonzalez emphasized that the doctor who helped her was very dedicated to her care and kept in contact with her.

“And they stayed in contact with me too, trying to help figure that all out,” she added.

Gonzalez claimed that the SHC should promote more as it had taken her all four years of attending Stan State to realize it existed. She believes it’s an especially important resource on campus that many people don’t utilize.

“I would say it’s pretty important, especially, you know, as college students. I feel like we kind of put our health on the back burner and so having these services on campus is pretty helpful and useful,” she said.

Hannah Sanchez (Creative Media, Junior) hasn’t had the chance to use the services the SHC has to offer yet. However, she has seen their promotional booths in passing before.

“I was stopped by some people who were promoting the facility, and I received a free bottle of sunscreen! However, I was in a hurry to get to my next class, so they only got the chance to tell me how it was free to all students,” she said.

While Sanchez hasn’t been to the center before, she states, “I liked how the Student Health Center promoted their facility by handing out freebies to students while giving them information about their services. I think they would be able to promote the facility more if they do things like that more often. Everyone loves freebies!”

Rachel Grimshaw is an English faculty member at CSU Stanislaus, where she also earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. During her early years as a lecturer, she didn’t have any health insurance and often utilized the SHC’s many resources.

“I had the same nurse practitioner for all four years, her name was Maria. She always remembered who I was, she always could recall things about me, we had nice conversations,” she said. She describes how she always looked forward to going to the SHC.

After teaching at Stan for 15 years, Grimshaw doesn’t know the many services that the SHC offers now. They often come to give presentations to her first-year students and it seems that they have more services to offer now than when she used the SHC. One thing that Grimshaw has noticed is how unknown the resource is.

“I feel like one of the things I’d like to see is them get their message and their services out there more. I think a lot of students don’t realize that they’re already paying,” she said.

She suggests that she would love to see flyers or more presentations of all that the SHC has to offer.

The SHC provides accessible healthcare services for students. From routine medical care to mental health support, the center helps ensure that students can focus on academic success without the burden of untreated health issues.

If you have yet to check out the center, they are open for patient care Monday through Friday 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. If you would like to see a healthcare provider, you must make an appointment. The pharmacy is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but closed from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. The pharmacy does not require any prior scheduling.