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Student Support

Medical school is a rewarding and gratifying experience, but for some it may also be a challenging, stressful, and arduous journey. If the pressures begin to overwhelm, seeks support and assistance.

Student Wellbeing

Student Counseling Center

Individual and Couples Counseling Services

Schedule an appointment with HSC Student Counseling Services.

  • Call (405) 271-7336 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • E-mail counselors@ouhsc.edu.  To protect your confidentiality, please limit your e-mail messages to scheduling information and also keep in mind that e-mails are checked during business hours listed above and responded to within 2 business days.
  • Drop by Suite 300 in the HSC Student Union during business hours and talk to our administrative assistant.

Group Counseling

In addition to individual and couples therapy sessions, HSC Student Counseling Services provides the opportunity to participate in group counseling sessions. There is empirical evidence supporting the benefits of group therapy with a wide range of issues, including adjustment, depression, anxiety, body-image, and interpersonal concerns. Learn how to participate in Group Counseling.

Self-Help with TAO Connect

FREE for all students. TAO includes over 150 brief, effective, educational sessions covering over 50 common topics and skills related to mental health, wellness, and substance use issues. TAO Includes interactive sessions, mindfulness exercises and practice tools all aimed at helping you achieve your goals. Learn more about TAO Connect.

Student Wellness

HSC Student Counseling Center provides a variety of resources to promote a balanced lifestyle both personally and professionally. Learn more about Student Wellness.
 

Student Health Clinic

The OU Physicians Student Health Clinic provides acute and chronic care for injuries and illnesses, as well as routine preventative care. Learn more about the Student Health Clinic.

To schedule an appointment, Call (405) 271-9675

  • Appointments must be made for a visit.
  • Same-day appointments are available for illnesses, injuries, etc.
  • Remember your campus ID and insurance card (must show at each visit!).

Student Health Services are provided in the OU Physicians Building at:

825 NE 10th Street, Suite 4A
Oklahoma City, OK 73104

Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Lunchtime appointments are available.

Addiction Counseling

The Oklahoma Health Professionals Program (OHPP) is a special program of the Oklahoma State Medical Association (OSMA). The program’s purpose is to provide a peer-sponsored program for those physicians (and medical students) who have developed a chemical dependence problem (COM Policy 317).


LGBTQIA Resources

LGBTQIA+ students have access to a variety of resources on the HSC and Norman campuses. A list of resources is available here. College of Medicine students also find community in Lumina: Queer Student Alliance. Lumina is a student group seeking to bring together LGBTQIA+ students and allies from every college on the OUHSC campus. 

HSC Sooners Helping Sooners

HSC Sooners Helping Sooners is a scholarship opportunity for OUHSC students who find themselves in extenuating circumstances and in need of emergency financial assistance. Sooners Helping Sooners would like to lend a hand to students that are suffering from a house fire, family death, medical bills, or other various hardships.

Apply for Sooners Helping Sooners >>

Sexual Misconduct

The University condemns discrimination based on sex, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual misconduct. Any such activity committed by a member of the University community may subject the individual to University sanctions as well as civil and criminal penalties.

The University is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all persons who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in an atmosphere free from all forms of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The University of Oklahoma advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive university community by embracing each person’s unique contributions, background and perspectives. OU Norman, OU Tulsa and the Health Sciences Center recognize that fostering an inclusive environment for all, with particular attention to the needs of historically marginalized populations, is vital to the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of our institutional mission and enhances the OU experience for all students, faculty and staff.

College of Medicine Office of Diversity, Incluision and Community Engagement (ODICE)

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine is opening new frontiers in education, research and patient care. Our mission is leading healthcare in education, research and patient care. Our goals are uncompromising quality, exceptional service, innovative education, advancing knowledge and institutional strength. Learn more about ODICE opportunities.

OUHSC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

OU aspires to be the pacesetter institution in our commitment to building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive community where diversity is embraced, celebrated, and equity and inclusion is weaved into the fabric of our university community.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will continue to be the point of contact and arbiter of engagement, discourse, information, interaction, outreach and leadership in the mission of diversity and inclusivity at the University of Oklahoma.

Multicultural Student Services

Multicultural Student Services (MSS) exists to create and maintain a culturally diverse student environment, provide educational opportunities on the varying cultures on campus, optimal recruitment, advisement and support services to prospective and current students. Learn more about MSS organizations and events.

Veteran Student Services

Veteran Student Service offices caters to the needs of student veterans enrolled in academic programs offered by campus. The experts in each office will guide/refer you to additional people you may need to speak with. Learn more about Veteran Student Services at OUHSC.

Additional Resources

Physician Support Line

Physician Support Line is a national, free, and confidential support line service made up of 600+ volunteer psychiatrists, joined together in the determined hope to provide peer support for our physician colleagues and American medical students as everyone navigates the COVID-19 epidemic. No appointment necessary. Call the national support line at 1-888-409-0141.

Oklahoma County Medical Society - Physician Wellness Program

The Physician Wellness Program (PWP) is available to Oklahoma County Medical Society members, including resident and student members. The PWP provides:

  • Up to 8 free, confidential sessions with an experienced psychologist
  • Convenient, private location (telehealth available)
  • No diagnosis specified, no insurance billed, no electronic record kept
  • Appointments at convenient hours for physicians

To make an appointment, call the psychologist directly at 405-340-4321

Calm Waters OKC Grief Counseling

Calm Waters Grief Support Groups are ongoing. Families, children, ages 3 to 18, and individuals, may join a support group at any time and attend as long as needed. Groups are segmented by who the person is to them such as spouse loss, child loss,  or infant loss, and anticipatory grief. Families will attend the same night together and participants are divided by developmental age, type of death, and their relationship to the deceased loved one. Consistent attendance is most beneficial for the family. 

Academic Support

Academic Advising and Student Success

While the admissions process to the College of Medicine is rigorous and attracts highly gifted students, the burden of the curriculum may prove overwhelming for some students. Whether academically or emotionally, some students may require additional assistance in adjusting. The College of Medicine integrates the efforts of faculty, course and clerkship directors, student affairs staff, and OUHSC counseling services to provide certain educational assistance and counseling services for students who have encountered difficulty (COM Policy 300).

Academic Coaching

Individual academic coaching and support is available to any student experiencing academic difficulty. Students can meet one-on-one to identify ways to adapt learning approaches for coursework or USMLE Step exams. Students are also encouraged to contact their Course Director early and often to receive feedback and guidance on mastering the course material. Contact the College of Medicine Office of Student Affairs.

PAL Tutoring

The Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program is a confidential student tutoring program to help students with their preclinical courses.  Tutoring by trained students has been used successfully in many medical schools in the U.S. and internationally.  This program is meant to supplement course materials, lectures and assistance by course directors. 

 

Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)

A student in need of accommodations for examinations will schedule an appointment and meet with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center on the Norman campus. The Director of the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center will notify the College directly if special accommodations need to be arranged for the student.

Steps to receive accommodations:

  1. Register with the ADRC.
  2. Review available accommodations for HSC students.
  3. Request accommodations prior to EACH semester. 

HSC Writing Center

The OUHSC Writing Center, which is located in Room 214 in the HSC Student Union, serves the students, faculty, and staff of the entire OU Health Sciences campus. Services provided by the Writing Center include CV and cover letter review, strategies for successful research, proper citation use, grammar correctness, and draft revision. Learn more about the HSC Writing Center.

 

Medical Student Group Disability Program

Providers You Can Count On

The University of Oklahoma® College of Medicine medical student group disability insurance policy (G384067) was developed by Health Sciences Assurance Consulting, Inc. (HSAC) and Macori, Inc. in collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs. The insurance plan was developed to meet unique needs faced by medical and other health science students and is periodically updated based upon input from students and student advisors. The principals of HSAC have over fifty years of insurance experience and have worked with over 100 Health Sciences Institutions in designing student, resident/fellow and faculty/physician group practice programs. Working exclusively within the academic Health Sciences community HSAC has provided informative insurance briefings for Student Affairs Administrators who are members of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), American Association of Dental Schools (AADS), American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM) to assist them in better understanding and managing their student insurance programs. HSAC works only with companies rated A or better by A.M. Best, a leading authority on rating insurance companies.

The University of Oklahoma® College of Medicine sponsored medical student disability plan is underwritten by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, 7 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004, rated A++ (superior) by A.M. Best. The rating of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America reflects the company’s conservative operating strategy, its superior capitalization, high quality investment portfolio and excellent liquidity position. In addition, this rating acknowledges the company’s diversified product portfolio and the strong positions which the company maintains in the small-to-medium case size accident and health, dental insurance and professional and upper-income individual life insurance segments. Guardian also holds a prominent role in the industry as a reinsurer of life insurance written by other companies.

Students suffering a disabling injury or illness should submit notice of their disability to Guardian within 30 days of their disability. Disability claim forms are available from The University of Oklahoma® College of Medicine, Office of Student Affairs.

Disability Income Insurance Plan

The disability plan protects you in case you become disabled. If you become totally disabled as defined in the policy, you can receive a monthly benefit starting on the 91st consecutive day after disability begins and continuing until disability ends, the date of death, until required proof of disability is not provided or Social Security retirement age. However, benefit payments for disability due to mental or emotional conditions, alcohol or drug abuse, as defined in the policy of insurance, for which treatment is received on an out-patient basis will be limited to a total of 24 payments in your lifetime. But, if at the end of benefit payments as described above, you are being treated for the cause of your disability as an in-patient in a qualified institution our payments will be extended as defined in the policy of insurance.

Disability monthly benefit amounts:

  • $1,500 for all medical students.
  • An annual cost of living benefit equal to 3% of your net monthly benefit after 48 months of disability.

All premium payments are waived for your long term disability income insurance which fall due while disability payments are being paid.

If you become totally and permanently disabled, as defined in the policy of insurance, you are eligible for the following benefits:

  • Repayment of all eligible debt, up to $200,000, that you are legally liable to repay to a financial lending institution for college and/or medical education expenses.
  • A critical disability supplement that increases your monthly benefit to $3,000 for all students.
  • Lump Sum Benefit of $5,000.
  • Survivor Benefit of three times your last monthly benefit. (Refer to policy for details.)

This plan also includes a conversion privilege to continue your disability insurance when you begin residency training. Physicians beginning a residency may convert to a monthly benefit of $2,000. Premiums will increase and the resident will be billed for the resident disability plan on an individual basis. Premium payments must be made in a timely fashion as defined in the policy or the coverage will terminate. For details regarding your conversion privilege please contact Health Sciences Assurance Consulting, Inc.

Student Assistance Program: Guardian provides the following confidential services to students as part of the Disability plan:

  • Telephonic consultation with an SAP Counselor
  • 3 free sessions with a local counselor
  • Web site with information on wellness, a legal and financial center and more

For additional information, please contact Guardian Work Life Matters at (800) 386-7055 or online at www.ibhworklife.com.

Pre-existing conditions: A pre-existing condition is a sickness or injury, including all related conditions and complications, for which, in the 3 months before your insurance under this plan starts, you: (a) receive advice or treatment from a doctor; take prescribed drugs; or receive other medical care or treatment, including consultation with a doctor; or (b) exhibit symptoms which would cause an ordinary prudent person to seek medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment. We do not pay benefits for disability caused by such a condition unless it starts after you are insured under this plan for 12 consecutive months.

A pregnancy which exists on the date your insurance under this plan starts is also a pre-existing condition.

If this plan replaces another plan, the pre-existing condition limitation shown above will not apply if you: (a) were insured on the day before this plan started under a long term disability plan the plan sponsor had with another insurer; and (b) meet the requirements as defined in the policy of insurance.

What is not covered: We do not cover any period of disability caused, directly or indirectly, by: (a) declared or undeclared war or act of war or armed aggression; (b) your service in the armed forces, National Guard, or military reserves of any state or country; (c) your taking part in a riot or other civil disorder; (d) your commission of, or attempt to commit, a felony; (e) your unlawful use or threat of force on another person without his or her consent; (f) intentional self-injury or attempted suicide while sane or insane; (g) job related or on-the-job injury; or (h) conditions for which benefits are payable by Workers’ Compensation or life laws.

We do not pay benefits for any period during which you are confined to any facility as a result of your conviction of a crime or public offense.

We do not pay benefits for any period during which you are not under the regular care and treatment of a doctor.

We do not pay benefits for any period of disability which starts before you are insured by this plan. In addition, no benefit will be payable for any period during which your loss of status as a regular full-time student is not due to your disability.

For questions regarding your disability insurance plan please call:
Health Sciences Assurance Consulting, Inc. 1-888-978-8355
This brochure is a summary of benefits. The Certificate of Coverage contains a complete listing of benefits, limitations, exclusions and a description of the terms and conditions of coverage. The Certificate will govern and control the payment of benefits. UOKMS/DI/11