If you were a MacArthur campus student who took classes in the MLC building last spring, your classes were probably interrupted by the loud noises of construction and/or the noxious fumes of paint in a building where the windows don’t open. However, you did not endure that noise and stench in vain. You no longer have to go to the Jupiter Medical Center to get treatment for your cold – instead, you can make an appointment to visit our brand-new Student Health Services Clinic.
MacArthur’s new clinic will be opening just in time for the beginning of classes on Monday, August 25. Located in MLC 274, the clinic offers many services and an on-campus nurse practitioner. The general visit is covered by the student health fee, which is included in your tuition. Lab services and diagnoses that require testing are available for a reduced fee.
The clinic is small, containing an office, an exam room, and a waiting area/self-care area with over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, Band-Aids and a variety of condoms.
Marvis Nelson, a nurse practitioner, runs the clinic, which is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Some of the services that she performs include treatment for acute minor illnesses, such as sore throats, coughs, colds and urinary tract infections. She can also prescribe medications such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatory treatments. Nelson also provides students with assistance for stress-related problems such as headaches, insomnia, eating disorders and depression, and is available for advice pertaining to diet and exercise.
Services performed in the clinic include general check-ups and exams, and women’s health services such as Pap smears, breast exams and pregnancy testing. Men’s health services such as general questions about discharge, sores, and how to check for testicular masses are also available. Testing for sexually transmitted diseases is also available for both men and women. Additionally, the Boca Raton clinic offers dental services, which are available to MacArthur students.
Contraceptives such as the pill, the patch and the vaginal ring are also available in the clinic for a reduced fee. The clinic also offers emergency contraception in the event of an accident.
Also, any services that Nelson performs or information that you share with her is completely confidential. She will not talk to parents, professors or staff members without a medical release form that you sign designating such permission.
“Students should feel free to come to the clinic for information, health problems, and advice on how to take care of themselves,” Nelson says.
For more information, call 296-8697. You can usually call in the morning and get an appointment that afternoon.
