Students enjoy the spring weather outside on the Academic Quad

Student Health Services (SHS) recognizes the strong connection between individual wellbeing, a healthy campus environment, and student success. As an experienced medical team, SHS is committed to providing responsive, confidential, and high-quality care for Colgate’s diverse student community.

Specializing in the treatment and care of college students, SHS offers a wide range of services to address your health concerns while you are away from home.

Appointments

To schedule an appointment, please call Student Health Services during business hours. The office staff will ask about the nature of your problem to schedule your appointment appropriately. Your information is confidential. If you prefer not to discuss details of your condition over the phone, you may say that the issue is “personal.” Please let the office staff know if your health concern is urgent. The office staff may have you speak with one of our providers to determine if you need an immediate or same-day appointment. A 24-hour cancelation notice is appreciated.

Patients are expected to arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment time. Patients arriving late for an appointment are at risk of being rescheduled. We recognize that conflicts may arise at the last minute and we will do our best to reschedule you for a more convenient time. Please call SHS to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

Please bring your insurance card or a picture of the card and a list of your current medications and allergies. If you need to purchase medication or pay for a test, Student Health Services accepts your ’Gate Card or bills your Student Account for payment.

Student Health Services is accessible via the Colgate Cruiser Townhouse route, a 15-minute ride from Frank Dining Hall.

With campus as her backdrop, a student stops to take a photo of a wintry Willow Path

Student Health Services Charges

There is no charge for visits to the health center. Students (or their health insurers) are responsible for bills relating to emergency room visits, laboratory and X-ray tests, visits to specialists, and certain medications.

Please contact Student Health Services for costs of items such as medicines, vaccines, various forms of contraception, and "private" tests. Note: these costs are subject to change. Student Health Services accepts 'Gate cards or bills your Student Account for payment; we cannot process a debit or credit card. Payment of tests and in-house medications is due after the visit. Student Health Services reserves the right to charge your Student Account if you do not pay during your visit. If you have a question about a charge, please call Student Health Services at 315-228-7750 for clarification.

Many medications are dispensed to students, either at minimal or no charge. Other prescriptions may be filled, at the student's expense, at these local pharmacies. We cannot re-write prescriptions from home without extensive information from your physician. We, therefore, suggest that you plan to bring enough medication to last the semester or have your physician arrange for ongoing medications with an area pharmacy. Crutches and other medical supplies are also available on loan from our office.

If you need to receive allergy injections at college, please call Student Health Services at 315-228-7750 to schedule a consultation.  Please be aware that you must start allergy injections with your home doctor/allergist before receiving injections at Student Health Services. Allergy serums will be stored at Student Health Services. Serums and immunizations are administered by a staff nurse, typically twice a week by appointment only. 

Students sit outside by Taylor Lake during the fall.

Residential Life

More students today are entering college, with significant health needs, including mental health challenges and the need to manage serious, ongoing conditions such as asthma, ADHD, eating disorders, addiction, autism-spectrum disorders, and physical disabilities.

In response to the changing landscape of collegiate health, Colgate’s Student Health Service has increasingly become a critical campus support system for students.  As a team of experienced college health providers, we see our mission as working with campus partners, such as Residential Life, to assist students in achieving their fullest potential through improving student health and well-being and working to constrain or remove barriers to student learning and success.

Colgate takes on Bucknell in men's basketball for the Patriot League Championship

Student-Athletes

Whether you’re on a club, intramural, or varsity team – or just simply enjoy engaging in recreational sporting activities, Student Health Services is here to help you maintain your peak performance.    

NCAA Intercollegiate Athletes

Colgate’s Sports Medicine team is dedicated to providing the very highest level of athletic healthcare to the university's 25 Division I varsity athletic programs. For additional information, please see Colgate Sports Medicine. Student Health providers work closely with Colgate’s coaches and athletic training staff to provide intercollegiate athletes with primary medical care and treatment for injuries and illness.  

Students who are athletes

Specializing in the treatment and care of college students, we offer a wide range of services to help student-athletes stay in peak condition. We look forward to serving you.

  • Primary medical care
  • Sports injury evaluation and treatment; evaluation and treatment of other injuries and illnesses
  • Medications
  • Non-prescription items such as ankle brace/aircast, crutches, hot water bottle, ice pack, knee Immobilizer, sling, wrist splint, etc.
  • Mental health services (In collaboration with Counseling and Psychological Services)
  • Nutrition and healthy eating services (In collaboration with the Shaw Wellness Institute)
  • Referrals to specialty care, when needed


Please note:

Appointments are required for all visits

Contact Student Health Services

Phone: 315-228-7750  
Fax: 315-228-6823
Email: studenthealth@colgate.edu

Address
Student Health Services
Colgate University
13 Oak Drive
Hamilton, NY  13346-1398

Location
140 Broad Street
Between Reid Athletic Center & Community Memorial Hospital

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

  1. Be treated with respect, dignity and consideration without discrimination as to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or veteran status.  
  2. Have all aspects of your care explained to you in understandable terms and any questions answered.
  3. Discuss treatment options and their effectiveness, possible risks and side effects.
  4. Participate in decisions about your care and to give your informed consent to any diagnostic procedure.
  5. Have access to resources for health education regarding wellness/self-care and prevention of illness.  
  6. Be assured of the confidential treatment of disclosures and records and to have the opportunity to approve or refuse the release of such information except when release of specific information is required by law or is necessary to safeguard you or the university community.
  7. Refuse any medical treatment or procedure and to be informed of the consequences of such a decision.
  8. Receive information and/or guidance for continuing care to maintain optimal health.
  9. Receive appropriate referrals to other providers and services.
  10. An explanation of any financial obligations or charges.
  11. Discuss concerns about the care you receive.  
  12. Review your medical record with a clinician.  
  13. Refuse to participate in any research project. 
  1. Understand and use these rights.
  2. Seek medical attention promptly.
  3. Provide accurate and complete information about your past health history, that of your family, current status, relevant personal habits, and any other information pertinent to the public health of the campus community.
  4. Inform your care provider of any changes in your health status that could affect your treatment.
  5. Assist health care providers to compile a complete medical record by authorizing the Student Health Services to obtain necessary medical information from appropriate sources.
  6. Ask questions and get clarification regarding your condition or any suggested treatment.
  7. Ask about anything you do not understand.
  8. Follow the prescribed treatment plan and discuss any desired changes.
  9. Be considerate of other patients and Student Health Services staff.  
  10. Treat Student Health Services’ staff with courtesy and respect.
  11. Be prompt for scheduled appointments.
  12. Cancel appointments if you are unable to keep them.
  13. Accept financial responsibility for any charges you have incurred. 

Emergencies

Community Memorial emergency providers are available 24 hours a day.   

Community Memorial Hospital’s Urgent Care Clinic accepts patients on a walk-in basis, and no referrals are needed. Location: 164 Broad Street, next to Community Memorial Hospital.

For assistance in determining the need for emergency services, please contact Campus Safety at 315-228-7911.

Non-Emergency After-Hours Mental Health Services

An on-call counselor is available nights and weekends and can be reached through Colgate’s Office of Campus Safety:  315-228-7333.

An on-call counselor is available nights and weekends and can be reached through Colgate’s Office of Campus Safety:  315-228-7333.

A dispatcher will answer. Ask for the counselor on call and the dispatcher will make contact for you.

Suicide Risk

If you are having thoughts of suicide or any type of self-harm—or if you witness, hear, or see anyone exhibiting suicidal warning signs—get help immediately.

If the risk seems imminent:

Call Campus Safety:

  • Voice: 315-228-7911
  • Campus Phone:  911

Campus Safety will respond and dispatch other resources as needed. 

Other alternatives include calling 911 (especially if you are off campus), or going to the emergency room of Hamilton’s Community Memorial Hospital.

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). Anyone may call this national hotline at any time regarding concerns about suicide risk for yourself or someone else.

If the risk does not seem imminent:

To get help for a Colgate student who you suspect may be at risk of suicide please contact, as soon as possible, Colgate’s Office of Counseling and Psychological Services at 315-228-7385.  

What should I do if a friend had too much to drink or may have overdosed on drugs?

Call Campus Safety:

  • Voice: 315-228-7911
  • Campus Phone:  911

Alcohol poisoning and drug overdoses can kill.

Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex.  A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions. It is also common for someone who drank excessive alcohol to vomit since alcohol is an irritant to the stomach. There is then the danger of choking on vomit, which could cause death by asphyxiation in a person who is not conscious because of intoxication. Lastly, be aware that a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) can continue to rise even while they are passed out. It is dangerous to assume the person will be fine by sleeping it off.

If a friend has been drinking, especially a large amount over a short period of time, has hurt themselves while drinking, or has been taking drugs, look for these signs of possible alcohol poisoning/drug overdose:

  • Disorientation and mental confusion
  • Inability to stay awake or respond to shouting and shaking
  • Pale, cold or bluish skin
  • Passing out – not just sleeping but difficult to arouse and doesn’t respond when shaken, pinched, or moved
  • Vomiting
  • Irregular or slow breathing (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
  • Hypothermia (low body temperature)

What should you do if you suspect someone has overdosed?

  • Call Campus Safety immediately-you could save a life
  • Don't leave them to "sleep it off"
  • Check often to make sure they are still conscious and responsive.
  • Try to wake the person
  • Don't give them food, drink, or medication of any kind
  • Make certain that they stay on their side, not their back – see the “Bacchus Maneuver” below

The Bacchus Maneuver

Raise the arm that is closest to you above their head. Prepare to roll them toward you.

Gently roll them toward you, guarding their head from hitting the floor. The head should rest in front of the arm, not on it. 

Tilt the head up to maintain the airway. Tuck their nearest hand under the cheek to help maintain head tilt and raise the face off the floor.

Check on them often.

Emergency Dental Care
Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare
1656 Champlin Avenue
Utica, NY 13501
315-624-6112

Contact: Haven – Colgate’s Sexual Violence Response Center

Haven provides confidential care, support, advocacy, and trauma-informed clinical services for survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, child/family abuse, stalking, and/or harassment.   

  • Location: Located at the Garden Level of Curtis Hall.
  • Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
  • Contact: 315-228-7385

Sexual Assault

Additional Resources:

Campus Safety:

  • Voice: 315-228-7911
  • Campus Phone:  911

Campus Safety can also provide transportation to the local emergency department upon request and without further questions.

What do I do if I have been sexually assaulted?

  • Go immediately to a safe place and seek the support of someone you trust.
  • Call Campus Safety at 315-228-7333 or, if you are off-campus, dial 911.  
  • Do not change clothes, shower, bathe or douche or in any way alter or dispose of any potential evidence.
  • Seek medical care at Hamilton’s Community Memorial Hospital emergency department or Student Health Services.
  • A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) is available through Help Restore Hope. SANEs are experts in assisting survivors of sexual assault. Campus Safety can assist you in contacting Help Restore Hope. The Help Restore Hope hotline is: 1-855-9-NOWSAFE/1-855-966-9723.

Whether or not you choose to report the assault, it is recommended that you get medical care as soon as possible. This care may include:

  • Prevention of sexually transmitted infections HIV and pregnancy
  • Screening to detect the presence of date rape drugs such as Rohypnol.
  • Evidence collection ("rape kit") can be obtained up to 96 hours after the incident.

What do I do if it has been more than 96 hours after the sexual assault?

  • You can still get help.
  • Seek follow up medical care. Call for an appointment at Student Health Services for sexually transmitted infection testing, HIV testing and pregnancy testing.
  • Get help with the emotional and psychological impact from the assault.  Contact Haven, Colgate’s sexual violence response center.
  • Community Resource: Madison County’s Help Restore Hope Center.

College Health Kit

As a new college student, one of your new responsibilities is to assume the coordination and management of your own health care.  We have listed here items that may be important to assist you should you become ill or suffer an injury while at school.

  • Health Insurance
  • Physical Exam
  • Medical History Form (Submitted prior to arriving on campus)
  • Immunization Records Form (Submitted prior to arriving on campus)
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Screening Form(s)
  • Meningococcal Vaccine (Part II) – must be completed
  • Receive required immunizations (if not up to date) and provide appropriate documentation to the Student Health Services prior to the start of classes
  • Copy of your student’s insurance/prescription drug card (front & back)
  • Treatment permission form for students under 18-years old

For more information, see the Forms and Documentation page.

  • Bring your insurance/prescription drug card and know your coverage
  • Know your allergies, medication doses, and health history
  • Emergency contact(s) telephone numbers
  • Bring the contact information for your current health care providers
  • If you have a chronic illness, consider securing a letter of explanation from your physician and scheduling an introductory appointment with a Student Health Services’ provider
  • If you are under 18, make sure you have sent in a parental consent form so that you can receive treatment at Student Health Services
  • Digital Thermometer (NOT Glass or Mercury)
  • Pain/Fever Medicine
  • Allergy Medicine
  • Cold Medicine/Decongestant
  • Soothing Throat Lozenges
  • Cough Drops/Cough Syrup
  • Fan
  • A humidifier or Cool Mist Vaporizer (the residence halls can be dry)
  • Band-Aids
  • Antibiotic Ointment
  • Cortisone Cream
  • Antacid (Liquid or Chewable)
  • Prescription Medications and Lockbox
  • Sunscreen
  • Tissues
  • Ear Plugs
  • Disinfectant Spray
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Heating Pad/Ice Pack
  • Reusable water bottle
  • For contact lens wearers: cleaning solution, spare lenses, and glasses for “back up”

Student Health Services (SHS) does not have a pharmacy and cannot fill prescriptions written by providers outside the Health Center. We do have a limited selection of commonly prescribed medications available for purchase when prescribed by a SHS clinician. If you take a medication that will need to be refilled at school, talk with your medical provider and make a plan to bring enough medication to last the semester or have your physician arrange for refills with one of Hamilton’s local pharmacies.