If you are experiencing a true emergency, call 911.
Our staff of registered nurses and a physician assistant assess and treat illnesses and injuries. They dispense over-the-counter medications and can prescribe medications as needed. They can also schedule appointments with local providers as needed.
Please make sure to upload your health insurance card into the health portal. While SHAW does not bill insurance for services, some labs, referrals, and prescriptions may require this.
Details about what the medical area of SHAW has to offer. You can also review SHAW’s FAQ webpage.
SHAW has been approved to be part of the Community-Based Screening Services (CBSS). CBSS is a collaborative project between the Family Planning Council of Iowa (FPCI), the Iowa Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) family planning and STI programs, and the State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa (SHL). Supported by resources from the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), testing and treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhea are done in clinic sites across the state.
SHAW offers free treatment and testing for:
As part of this program, there are questionnaires that will be filled out during check-in to determine what tests students need/qualify for. As with all SHAW in-house visits, everything will be confidential and NOT be billed through insurance.
Please either call (641-269-3230), stop in, or go online to schedule an appointment (online scheduling temporarily disable due to staffing).
SHAW employs student workers to provide peer and after-hours support. Some of these workers manage the Sexual Health Information Center or SHIC.
Please call 641-269-3230 to schedule a medical appointment. After hours or on weekends, students can call SHAW’s main line, 641-269-3230, and follow the prompts to connect with our Need-a-Nurse line. You may also leave a voicemail if you prefer to wait until SHAW’s normal business hours to consult with a SHAW provider.
Please make sure to upload your health insurance card into the health portal. While SHAW does not bill insurance for services, some labs, referrals, and prescriptions may require this.
Student can also schedule medical appointments through the Health Portal.
In-person appointments will be in the lower level of the Forum. Please use the main entrance via the west door. If you are experiencing symptoms, please wear a mask when in SHAW (and in buildings around campus). Students are required to wear masks when riding in the SHAW van.
Before every medical appointment at SHAW, you will be asked to fill out a brief questionnaire. Your actual appointment may take between 10–30 minutes, depending on the nature of your symptoms.
We encourage you to ask questions and make sure you understand what you need to do to feel better. The provider you see will ask you questions about your symptoms, complete an assessment, possibly monitor your vital signs (temperature, pulse, blood pressure), conduct additional lab testing if applicable, and then work to provide you with any additional treatment options you need including free over-the-counter medications, ice pack, bandages, crutches, etc.
If your provider feels that you may need more extensive or specialized treatment, you will be referred to a physician in the community or region, the local walk-in clinic, or the emergency room at UnityPoint Grinnell Regional Medical Center. The nurse will help ensure you have transportation in these cases.
SHAW asks all students to sign the SHAW consent for treatment upon arrival to campus as first years. This document allows our SHAW staff to communicate with our local medical providers to help facilitate your care needs if you are referred to services off-campus. The SHAW provider will ask for your permission to make that referral and then consult with those service providers about you. Consultation of this sort is the standard of care in the health and mental health professions.
SHAW works with a variety of other departments on campus to help students succeed while at Grinnell College.
Student Support and Advocacy
The goal of Student Support and Advocacy is to support and guide students in prioritizing their wellbeing. Student Support and Advocacy is able to provide assistance in meeting physical and psychological health needs, navigating financial stressors, processing familial concerns, addressing food/housing issues, and exploring leave of absences and withdrawals. With appropriate releases, SHAW is able to collaborate with Student Support and Advocacy to create a plan for student's individualized needs.
Disability Resources
Students may benefit from requesting accommodations. If a student needs support or accommodations for longer than a week, they are generally referred to this department as they are the experts at what is and isn't available for students. They regularly work with faculty, dining, housing, and more. Students do not have to meet with SHAW to obtain accommodations and can go directly to this department. However, they do have the option of signing a release to allow the two departments to work together.
Academic Advising
SHAW knows that health can directly impact academics. Students who work with SHAW may also benefit from working with someone in Academic Advising who work with students on nearly any academic concern. Support they proved can include study skills and time management, peer tutoring, support for managing academics while dealing with a personal challenge, clarify understanding of academic policy, or apply for a leave of absence.
Athletics Department
SHAW and the athletic trainers have a unique relationship. Athletes sign a release that allows the two departments to discuss and work together on health concerns.
All students you have 24/7 access to medical advice through HealthiestYou, a national telehealth service. By visiting the Healthiest You Student Portal, you have access to board-certified physicians via phone and/or video, where permitted. This service is especially helpful for minor illnesses, such as allergies, sore throat, earache, pink eye, etc. Based on the condition being treated, the doctor can also prescribe certain medications, saving you a trip to the doctor’s office.
HealthiestYou is not health insurance. It is designed to complement, not replace, the care you receive from your primary care physician.
When you sign up, you'll complete a questionnaire, choose your provider and select a date and time for your appointment. Also, be sure to complete your Health History as this must be completed before being able to schedule appointments.
Note: These two options bill as doctor’s office visits to health insurance companies.
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