Resources

Health and Life Insurance

Health insurance is provided to the resident (additional family coverage available at the expense of the resident); life insurance is provided to the resident. A summary of your benefits can be found here [58K]. A list of Gainesville providers can be accessed here.

For students in tuition paying programs, a Student Health Fee is included as part of the registration costs. This fee covers routine outpatient visits at the Student Health Service but is not comprehensive health insurance. For further information, write to University of Florida Student Government Health Insurance, PO Box 118505, Gainesville, FL 32611-8505 or call (352) 392- 1165, extension 305.

Counseling and Support Services

The University of Florida College of Dentistry Resident Assistance Program is designed to help residents and their families with troubling concerns. It provides a system of fast, short-term, confidential professional counseling and referral services to eligible residents, their legal spouses and other eligible dependents. The College of Dentistry pays for the basic services of the RAP; up to the first three visits to a provider are free. If more services are needed, the counselor will coordinate continued care within the healthcare benefits plan. This is available for off-site residency programs as well. To arrange an appointment, please call (352) 265-5493 or (866) 643-9375, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days a-week. Simply state that you need an RAP appointment.

Where to get help: The Housestaff Pocket Guide includes nearly two dozen phone numbers of various references for housestaff who need support. This includes family counseling, individual counseling, group support, rehabilitation, drug and alcohol abuse assistance, etc.

The University Counseling Center, located in P301 Peabody Hall, the University Counseling Center provides counseling and student development services in three different ways: group, individual and couples counseling. There are also specialized services available in career exploriation and decision-making, multicultural cunseling, women's counseling, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender counseling, counseling for students with disabilities, and alcohol and substance abuse counseling. Appointments may be made in person Monday through Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm. Students requiring immediate help can be seen on an emergency basis on the same day.

Worker's Compensation Insurance

If a resident suffers a work related injury, the resident is generally covered under the workers' compensation program of the University provided the resident complies with the requirements of the worker's compensation program.

All housestaff who are injured on the job should immediately go to the Shands Emergency Department. Blood and body fluid exposures are treated exclusively through the Shands Department of Employee Health. Incident reports should be filled out within 24 hours and can be obtained through each department training office. In addition, to assure prompt payment of the workers' compensation claims, each resident should sign a "Statement of Authorization" form to release their medical record to the UF Workers' Compensation Office. These forms will be given at the time and place of treatment.

The University of Florida is required to report all industrial accidents to the Division of Workers' Compensation within seven days of the department's first knowledge of an employee's on-the-job-accident. In order to meet this time limit, the University of Florida Workers' Compensation Office, Room 422, Stadium West, should receive the appropriate notifications no later than four days after knowledge of the accident or injury.

Student Health Care Center (SHCC)

The Student Health Care Center is an outpatient clinic which provides primary medical care and a variety of other special services. SHCC offers UF students an allergy clinic, cast service, the Center for Sexual Assault/Abuse Recovery and Education (CARE; see below for more information), the cold self-care station, clinical laboratory, dermatology clinic, health education, mental health service, nutrition counseling, patient observation unit, radiology and EKG, sports/medicine/ orthopedics, urinary tract infection clinic and wart treatment.

The SHCC also offers student health insurance sponsored by student government and a pharmacy which distributes prescriptions at a reduced cost to students. Appointments are available for your convenience and are encouraged to save waiting time. Walk-in service is also available for urgent care. The SHCC is located on campus in the Infirmary building (next to the Florida Gym). Clinic hours are 8:00am to 8:00pm Monday through Friday and noon to 4:00pm on Saturday, Sunday and holidays; hours may vary during breaks and holidays. For information call 392-1161, extension 4309.

Health Science Center Students

For convenience of students at the Health Science Center, SHCC, in cooperation with the Department of Community and Health and Family Medicine, offers limited student health services at Shands Hospital, second floor of the Dental Tower in room D2-52. Office appointments are available Monday through Friday with limited same day appointments. The clinic offers primary and acute illness care, women's health care, immunization and allergy injections, and laboratory and pharmacy services. You can contact SHCC at Shands by calling 392-0627 or 392-1161, extension 1-4300.

Center for Sexual Assault/Abuse Recovery Education (CARE)

CARE therapists provide counseling services to victims of sexual assault (including rape, incest and child sexual abuse), sexual harassment and battering. Individual and group counseling are available to both men and women. In addition to counseling services, CARE also provides information to interested persons regarding sexual violence. CARE Peer Educators, who include both graduate and undergraduate students, are specially trained to conduct presentations and provide general information on date/acquaintance rape to residence halls, classrooms and campus organizations. CARE Peer Facilitators are also involved in special programming throughout the year. CARE is located on the third floor of the Student Health Care Center, 392-1161, extension 231. This service is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, appointments are available and walk-ins are welcome.

Housing Information

University housing facilities are available only to students who are in a tuition program or hold a housestaff appointment (residents). The availability of University housing is limited, and advanced education students should contact the University Housing Office before making plans to utilize University quarters. Furnished and unfurnished accommodations are available in the Gainesville area. The University Housing office maintains current listings of such facilities. For further information, visit their website at: http://www.housing.ufl.edu/housing/, or contact the Director of Housing, University of Florida, Museum Road at 13th Street, PO Box 112100, Gainesville, FL 32611-2100, telephone # (352) 392-2161.

The Office of Housestaff Affairs compiles a yearly housing list for assisting new incoming housestaff with finding places to live. Information on rentals, condos, rooms for rent, and people looking for roommates is included. It has also helped graduating housestaff sell or rent their homes quickly. If you are graduating, leaving Gainesville, or moving to another home, you might want to consider listing your residence in the pamphlet. Contact the Office of Housestaff Affairs, PO Box 100371, Gainesville FL, 32610-0371, telephone # (352) 395-0787.