In high school, when students got sick, teachers would send them
to the nurse’s office, and then they would be sent home. But
in college things are different, and students must learn to take
care of themselves and get the care they need.
Incoming students will soon learn they have two main options for
medical attention: the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness
Center and Student Health Advocates living in the dorms.
Shrouded in the large size of the UCLA campus, the Ashe Center
and the SHAs can provide medical attention to students ““ with
certain limitations new students might not be aware of.
For students living in the residence halls, the SHAs are the
first line of defense when students start to feel ill.
“Student volunteers are trained through the health
education (program) ““ which is part of Ashe ““ and they
provide direct access,” said Jo Ann Dawson, director of
primary care at the Ashe Center.
Though extensively trained, the SHAs provide limited first aid,
which basically means they can dispense Tylenol and Band-Aids,
Dawson added.
“They’re essentially allowed to give out
over-the-counter medication. That and condoms,” said Candy
Hernandez, a third-year biochemistry student who was a program
assistant at Delta Terrace last year.
And while the SHAs can give out medication such as Advil, they
lack many other necessities such as Pepto-Bismol and cough
medicine, Hernandez added.
In addition to the lack of medicine the SHAs can provide, their
limited capacity to cure aches and pains hampers their
effectiveness.
“Last year my friend hurt her foot while doing ballerina
moves on the stairs. When she went to the SHA, he sent her to
Ashe,” Hernandez said.
For most students in the residence halls, the SHAs are students
who can give out medication, have gone through first-aid training,
and aren’t equipped to do much else.
Students often get directed to the Ashe Center, and it is there
that aches and pains get extended attention.
“We provide an array of services which includes primary
care for the typical acute illnesses, injuries, and the monitoring
of chronic illness,” Dawson said.
The Ashe Center has attempted to avail itself to students as
much as possible. As a result, the center has implemented a
same-day appointment service.
There are three different ways to get an appointment at the Ashe
Center and any UCLA student is welcome to make an appointment,
Dawson said.
Students can go online to the Ashe Center Web site, call early
in the morning or simply walk into the office.
“Most of our appointments are now also same-day and
we’ve found that it’s easier for students to keep their
appointments when they’re same-day,” said Michele
Pearson, director of ancillary services.
The Ashe Center caters to a wide range of ailments with a
variety of specialty care centers ““ such as cardiology,
dermatology and orthopedics ““ so that students do not have to
go far for the care they require, Dawson said.
For many incoming students at UCLA, the Student Health Insurance
Plan often causes the most confusion.
Questions about what SHIP is and whether students really need
the insurance often arise.
“SHIP is supplementary insurance and it complements the
services at the Ashe Center … It’s basically for
hospitalization and emergencies,” Pearson said.
Many fees at Ashe are covered under SHIP and if not, they are at
a discounted rate, Pearson added.
“SHIP is a package that involves medical, behavioral and
optometric services,” Pearson said.
But whether or not students have SHIP, the Ashe Center provides
many medical services to the entire UCLA student body.
Ashe physicians and administrators say that student availability
and accessibility is their primary concern and direct students to
their Web site for any questions they might have.
Visit the Ashe Center Web site at
www.studenthealth.ucla.edu.