Staying healthy is important, especially when you are studying abroad and cannot benefit from your previous medical care system. It is hard to see a doctor, buy proper medicine or go to the hospital overseas due to communication difficulties, different medical systems and financial problems. However, if you are a student, the school you are attending can help you cope with this problem wisely. At the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) where I study as an exchange student, Student Health Center (SHC) takes care of international students’ health issues from their arrival to departure.

Check-in & Prevention 
    When international students first arrive at the university, they go through the process of check-in. There they take out school insurance which covers most of the screening and test fees and kinds of fees for medical services. After that, SHC does some blood tests for Tuberculosis screening and other kinds of infectious diseases as prevention measures. When check-in is over, students are successfully registered for school and they are ready to benefit from MU’s medical services. During the semester students frequently get emails from SHC. The emails contain information mostly about epidemics and viruses to be aware of. I also received one email about the Zika virus. Moreover, SHC provides flu shots during the period of year and immunizations for students who will travel abroad. There are also classes and individual consultants for stress management, nutrition and fitness management for students to stay fit. Like this, the center is not just focused on treatments of diseases, but also effective preventions of them as well.

Mizzou Pharmacy & Medical Care
    If students are slightly ill and need help, it is helpful to visit Mizzou Pharmacy. It is located on the first floor of SHC which is right next to the University Hospital. Students can buy painkillers, digestive medicine and ointments for cuts. Also, it is possible to get help from pharmacists if you are not sure which medicines to apply. They will recommend the right treatment for your symptoms. When I first arrived at MU, I had a hard time because of an unknown bug bite and the salve which a pharmacist advised me to use by seeing my scar worked really well.
    If students need proper aid from doctors, they can make an appointment by phone and can get medical services at SHC. There is a system called ‘Primary Care Provider (PCP)’ where students choose one specific provider to serve them. By doing so, students can receive care from a person who knows well about their personal health record. When you select the PCP and make an appointment, after that it is much the same as a hospital treatment in Korea. The student goes to SHC and waits for one’s turn, meets a doctor, has a treatment, get a prescription and buy medicine with the prescription. The health fee, which is a fee charged for procedure and medical equipment is usually charged to the student charge and the insurance usually covers some portion of the fee.
    Like above, MU is helping their students to stay fit and the same services are applied to international exchange students. The medical system is much easier to access as the facility is on campus and it is also economical. By using this medical system which SHC is offering, your exchange student life at MU will be healthier and more abundant.
 

By Na Min-a, Overseas Correspondent