Frequently Asked Questions

Students have questions about services at the Student Health Clinic. Please see our most common responses to FAQs.

Does the UNI Student Health Clinic require students to have health insurance to access services?

No. All currently enrolled students are eligible to be seen at the UNI Student Health Clinic.

Do you have doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants at the clinic?

Yes, the Student Health Clinic has health care providers who are licensed and board certified physicians, nurse practitioners, and a physician assistant.

Can I be tested for Sexually Transmitted Disease and Infections?

Yes, we offer testing for a variety of sexually transmitted diseases and infections, including chlamydia and gonorrhea screening.

Do I have to call to make an appointment or can I walk in and be seen at the UNI Student Health Clinic?

We recommend you call 319-273-2009 to make an appointment. The UNI Student Health Clinic reserves 70% of its appointments for same-day urgent illness and injury. Any student wanting to be seen for Covid-19 must call 319-273-2100. Walk in appointments are not available for Covid-19 related symptoms or on-site Covid-19 testing.

Does the UNI Student Health Clinic provide medical/work excuses to students?

The UNI Student Health Clinic does not provide medical excuses for missed classes, exams, assignments or work. This practice is similar to other universities and is consistent with the recommendations of the American College Health Association.

Regular class attendance is a key component of a student's academic success. At the University of Northern Iowa, the Class Attendance and Make-Up Work policy (3.06) outlines our general campus expectations for attendance, communicating classroom expectations for attendance, and the circumstances in which a faculty member is required to work with a student.

The Student Health Clinic encourages students to make mature, informed decisions about their course attendance. When a student needs to consider missing an individual class or day of classes because they are too sick to attend, the student should consider their absence in alignment with attendance expectations outlined in their course syllabus. Frequently faculty have expectations for attendance and communication about missed coursework in their syllabus. In these circumstances the student should take the lead in communicating directly with their faculty member.

I think I have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) what should I do next?

The Student Health Clinic uses criteria for students who think they have ADD or ADHD. Please read the following for more information.

Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are characterized by a number of symptoms that often begin in early childhood. Impaired concentration, problems with attention, impulsive behaviors, fidgeting and distractibility are a few of the common symptoms. It is important to have a thorough evaluation since these symptoms could be the result of other conditions or factors not related to ADD/ADHD, including other learning disabilities, emotional or medical issues. The following information is provided to answer questions for students seeking initial evaluation for symptoms and/or for students already being treated for ADD/ADHD. This process requires student participation and demonstration of sincerity.

Currently, NOT on Medication

To qualify for medication evaluation for the treatment of ADD/ADHD, formal psychological and educational testing must be completed. Formal testing is available on campus through the Psychological Assessment Clinic. For further information for off campus testing, please call the UNI Student Health Clinic at 319-273-2009. This testing is expensive, so make sure to check for possible insurance coverage before proceeding with the testing. The UNI Psychological Assessment Clinic does not bill insurance companies. After testing has been completed, the results must be released to the UNI Student Health Clinic for review prior to further action.

If previous testing has been done, it must meet certain standards and be current, having been completed within the past 3 years.

No treatment will be provided unless all appropriate testing has been done and the requirements for treatment are met.

Currently on Medication

For patients currently on ADD/ADHD medications, certain criteria must be met before a UNI Student Health Clinic medical provider will prescribe these medications. There is no guarantee that the same treatment will be continued. Patients have the option of continuing to receive their medication from their previous medical provider, either in person when visiting home or thru the mail system. If a patient wishes to have care transferred to the UNI Student Health Clinic, the following steps must be taken:

Send a request for records to your previous medical provider and psychologist for copies of your formal psychological and educational testing within the past 3 years confirming your ADD/ADHD diagnosis and copies of your medication records. These records should be sent/faxed (319-273-7030) to the UNI Student Health Clinic for review. The request for medical records form can be obtained in person at the UNI Student Health Clinic.
Make sure you have a sufficient supply of your medication from your previous medical provider to allow for time needed for your records to arrive and be reviewed by a UNI Student Health Clinic medical provider.
After 3 – 4 weeks of sending the request for records, call the UNI Student Health Clinic at 319-273-2009 to confirm that the records were received and reviewed. If appropriate, an appointment will then be made with a UNI Student Health Clinic mental health provider.
The UNI Student Health Clinic mental health provider may request certain medical/lab exams for safety monitoring.

Is there a charge to be seen at the UNI Student Health Clinic?

In general, there is no charge for most services provided at Student Health Clinic by staff physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses. Students who are taking five credits or more will be assessed the Mandatory Health Fee. The MHF provides individualized visits with our health care providers at no additional fee. We do assess fees for the following: psychiatric services, annual physical exams, medications, procedures, immunizations, supplies, and laboratory tests provided at the Student Health Clinic or sent out to our reference laboratory. We will file a health insurance claim on your behalf if you provide copies of your health insurance coverage.