The on campus Health Center is open during the academic year, and serves as a facility for the management of urgent illnesses and injuries, as well as some ongoing care.
The Health Center medical providers maintain regularly scheduled hours on campus Monday-Friday. The providers may refer students to outside resources if indicated. Registered Nurses are available to see students for nursing assessment and referral. All degree-seeking students may see the Health Center staff without charge and may access Health Center resources for a nominal fee. If a student wishes to consult a private physician, the Health Center staff may recommend competent local specialists when requested to do so. Whenever a student is treated away from the Health Center, the expenses incurred will be the student’s responsibility.
Services at the Health Center include: assessment and treatment of acute illness or injury, point of care testing and treatment, in-house services lab with specimen collection and blood draws, reproductive health care, including PAP smears and contraception, a dispensary for prescribed medication, travel consults and vaccines.
Accident and Health Insurance
All Domestic and International Students are recommended to have insurance with a U.S. based health insurance company that will pay benefits in Washington State.
It is the student’s responsibility to understand their insurance plan and know how to access coverage. We advise that each student carry a personal insurance card at all times.
If hospitalization or outside medical services are needed, the Health Center will assist the student in locating suitable medical treatment. The cost for such outsourced medical treatment, however, must be assumed by the student.
Whitman College provides “secondary” accident insurance for students participating in varsity intercollegiate athletics. This coverage is available to varsity athletes who sustain an injury during scheduled and supervised athletic activities. As a secondary insurance, the varsity athletics accident insurance policy will only pay medical bills after they have been processed by the student’s primary personal insurance. Please contact the Head Athletics Trainer, at 509-527-5590 for more information.