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Medical Service at University

By Dr. I. C. Fleming, Medical Director of Student Health.

Victoria University has recently established a Student Health Service. This is to be part of the Student Welfare programme, designed to help the student make the most of his University Career.

The Student Health Service will be responsible for promoting and maintaining the health of students and providing for discussion of health problems. A panel of four doctors, one of whom is a woman, will be available to provide medical care and advice, and so help prevent any interruption in studies or examinations because of illness. The medical service will co-operate closely with the counselling and physical welfare services.

Although attendance is to be voluntary, we hope that all students will use the service. Students should appreciate that their doctors have a special interest in the university environment, and the health problems of the student community.

The work of the medical service falls into two sections. There will be provision for initial and periodic health checks, which will be referred to as a medical interview.

A General Practitioner service will be available for those living away from home who have no regular doctor in Wellington.

The medical officers consider the initial medical interview to be extremely important.

Medical interviews are designed to provide the student with a full and completely confidential medical examination. Such an examination will offer many students merely a reassurance that they are in good health, but it is still considered important because of its educational value.

The medical interview will give students the opportunity to discuss any physical or emotional problem which might interfere with their academic work or sporting interests. It will give the doctor an opportunity to detect a yet unrecognised disability.

Following a medical interview the doctor may advise the student to seek assistance from the counselling service or the student general medical service.

In some cases the doctor may provide access to other community medical resources with which he will maintain close contact for the student's benefit.

During the interview certain preventive health measures will be explained. Deficits in previous inoculations will be corrected, if desired. Arrangements will be made for routine chest X-Rays, and regular dental supervision will be encouraged.

First-year students, particularly, are invited to apply for a medical interview.

Forms will be available during enrollment week. The forms, when filled in, should be handed into the Students' Association Office, on the ground floor of the Student Union Building. Students will later be contacted and an appointment given.

The general medical service is the equivalent of an ordinary general practitioner service. Those whose homes are in Wellington are asked to contact their regular doctor for general medical services.

Students should appreciate that it should be their individual responsibility to take an intelligent interest in maintaining a high standard of health to meet the demands of university life.

The university's Student Health Service is your service, a place where you will find someone ready, able and Interested in any health problems.

Telephone Inquiries: Phone 70-319 and ask for Health and Counselling Service Secretary.

Personal Inquiries: Call at Accommodation, Health and Counselling Office, ground floor, Student Union Building.