Student Health Services offers a wide range of treatments and services. Student Health Services is an experienced medical team committed to providing responsive, confidential, and high-quality care for Colgate’s diverse student community.
Receiving Care
Visits to student health services are at no expense to our students, however, there may be nominal payments for services including lab tests and medications. Payments can be made on your ‘Gate Card or charged to your student account
Services Offered
We offer a variety of primary care and acute care services, including help with illnesses, infections, injuries, chronic health issues, medication management, and more.
Student Health Services recognizes the strong connection between individual wellbeing, a healthy campus environment, and student success. Student Health Services is an experienced medical team committed to providing responsive, confidential, and high-quality care for Colgate’s diverse student community.
Specializing in treating and caring for college students, the department offers a wide range of services to address your medical concerns. Please feel comfortable approaching the team with any medical issue or question you may have.
To increase your odds of obtaining a same-day appointment, please call Student Health Services at 315-228-7750 as early as possible.
Allergy Injections
If you have started allergy injections with your home doctor/allergist, you may schedule a consultation with SHS to continue receiving allergy injections on campus. Allergy injections are administered by a staff nurse, typically twice a week by appointment only.
Epi-pen Prescriptions
A student's home provider may send the prescription to a local pharmacy to be filled. Alternatively, a student may schedule an appointment with Student Health Services to determine whether an Epi-pen prescription is appropriate.
Allergist Referrals
Student Health Services can refer students to regional allergists. Please note that there are limited regional allergy resources.
Food Allergies
Contact our registered dietitian if you have questions or concerns regarding food allergies, and navigating the dining halls.
Student Health Services SHS can help support students with chronic medical conditions such as fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, immunosuppressive disorders or treatments, migraine, rheumatologic conditions, and more by working collaboratively with their home providers.
If you have a chronic physical or mental health condition that will require ongoing care management or coordination while on campus contact Student Health Services to discuss available resources.
Dental Health
Student Health Services can assess if medical intervention will help students with acute dental needs including pain management or antibiotics, and can refer students to local dental services when appropriate.
Eye and Vision Health
Student Health Services can perform DMV-required vision exams and assess concerns about acute red, itchy, or painful eyes. If further evaluation is required SHS can refer students to local eye care providers.
Our on-campus dietitian can help you navigate the dining halls and is a resource for those with nutrition-related questions or concerns regarding:
- chronic conditions (eg: diabetes, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)
- food allergies
- religious dietary needs
- dietary preferences (eg: vegan, vegetarian)
- athletic performance
- disordered eating/eating disorders
- general nutrition
Limited on-site lab tests are available at Student Health Services for a minimal charge on your 'Gate Card or student account.
Basic lab tests include:
- Urinalysis
- Pregnancy
- Rapid influenza
- Rapid oral HIV
- Rapid strep
- Rapid COVID Antigen testing
When students require additional testing, they are referred to an outside reference laboratory or Community Memorial Hospital laboratory, and their health insurance is charged. If you have any concerns about using your health insurance to access testing, discuss this with an SHS staff member.
Student Health Services stocks a select group of commonly used prescription and over-the-counter medications, only available to students after an appointment with a medical professional. While some medications are free to students, a limited selection of commonly prescribed medications are available for purchase when prescribed by an SHS clinician.
Prescription Medications
Student Health Services cannot fill prescriptions written by outside providers. We suggest you bring enough medication to last the semester or have your physician arrange for ongoing medications with an area pharmacy. For your convenience, with an established account, a local pharmacy can deliver prescriptions for pick up at Student Health Services.
Hamilton Pharmacies
(Delivers to Student Health Services)
Kinney Drugs
103 Utica Street
Hamilton, NY
315-824-2200
Dougherty Pharmacy
1017 Madison Marketplace
Hamilton, NY
315-825-9800
Other area pharmacies
(Do not deliver to Student Health Services)
CVS (14 miles)
268 Sanger Avenue
Waterville, NY
315-841-4447
Walgreens (20 miles)
95 Nelson Street
Cazenovia, NY
315-655-4450
Walmart (22 miles)
2024 Genesee Street
Oneida, NY
315-361-1037
Student Health Services (SHS) works closely with Counseling and Psychological Services to provide coordinated mental health services. In collaboration with the Counseling Center and the University’s consulting psychiatry service, SHS offers monitored support for student's psychiatric medication management.
Visit the Counseling Center to learn more about counseling services, or to schedule an appointment.
We offer affirming and non-judgmental sexual and reproductive health services to students of all genders, sexual orientations, and sexual identities. This includes:
- Contraception services
- Pregnancy testing
- LGBTQIA+ and gender-affirming care (hormone therapy, gender reassignment therapy, and other care needs)
- Sexually transmitted infection prevention, testing, and treatment
- Women's health
- Men's health
Learn more about our sexual and reproductive health services
Student Health Services (SHS) provides travel consultations tailored to students’ particular itineraries for travel out of the country for both study-abroad programs or personal travel. SHS staff is well-prepared to address medical questions about traveling abroad and can discuss any required or recommended immunizations and medications to ensure safe travel.
SHS can provide some immunizations, others must be administered by a specialized travel health provider. Students are responsible for the cost of these immunizations, though Colgate's student health insurance plan typically covers the cost of immunizations provided by SHS.
SHS recommends students schedule a travel consultation appointment at least six to eight weeks before departure, as some vaccinations should be administered more than one month before travel.
Student Health Services offers the following routine and travel immunizations:
- Influenza
- Meningitis B (Bexsero)
- Gardasil (HPV vaccine)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Meningococcal (ACWY)
- Polio (IPV)
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap)
- Typhoid Fever
- Varicella (Chickenpox)
*Students will be charged for the cost of the immunization only; there is no charge for administering the vaccine.
If you have housing, dietary, academic, or other accommodation needs please contact the Office of Student Disability Services.
Our Approach
The Student Health Services (SHS) medical team is experienced in working with college-aged students with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
It can, at times, be challenging for college students learn to both manage their own healthcare and also to adapt to a new primary care physician. We understand this and therefore welcome all students to approach us with any medical issues or questions. When visiting SHS, it is important to be open with the medical staff about your medical history, the medications you are taking (including any supplements), any needs or concerns you may have, and any other healthcare providers with whom you are working. We encourage you to openly share with us your sexual health history so they can provide you with the best possible care. Student Health Services is a confidential resource and your health information is private and treated with the utmost respect and confidentiality.
Medical care at Student Health Services is strictly confidential.
The privacy and confidentiality of your health record are protected by law. Colgate University’s health records are maintained through a secure electronic health records (EHR) system and are completely separate from all other University records. Student Health Services will not release any of your health information without your written permission, except in the following instances:
- In the event of your treatment at Community Memorial Hospital or another hospital or urgent care center, the community provider and Student Health Services will share relevant health information as needed for continuity of care.
- If, in our judgment, releasing information is necessary to protect you or others from a serious threat to health or safety.
- If it is authorized or required by law.
Similarly, Student Health Services does not routinely share information about your care with parents, faculty, or deans without your permission. Health information will be discussed with parents and faculty only at your request and with your written permission.
If you have any concerns about the confidentiality of our services, please speak with one of your healthcare providers.
- 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.
- Have all aspects of your care explained to you in understandable terms and any questions answered.
- Discuss treatment options and their effectiveness, possible risks and side effects.
- Participate in decisions about your care and to give your informed consent to any diagnostic procedure.
- Have access to resources for health education regarding wellness/self-care and prevention of illness.
- 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.
- Refuse any medical treatment or procedure and to be informed of the consequences of such a decision.
- Receive information and/or guidance for continuing care to maintain optimal health.
- Receive appropriate referrals to other providers and services.
- An explanation of any financial obligations or charges.
- Discuss concerns about the care you receive.
- Review your medical record with a clinician.
- Refuse to participate in any research project.
- Understand and use these rights.
- Seek medical attention promptly.
- 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.
- Inform your care provider of any changes in your health status that could affect your treatment.
- Assist health care providers to compile a complete medical record by authorizing the Student Health Services to obtain necessary medical information from appropriate sources.
- Ask questions and get clarification regarding your condition or any suggested treatment.
- Ask about anything you do not understand.
- Follow the prescribed treatment plan and discuss any desired changes.
- Be considerate of other patients and Student Health Services staff.
- Treat Student Health Services’ staff with courtesy and respect.
- Be prompt for scheduled appointments.
- Cancel appointments if you are unable to keep them.
- Accept financial responsibility for any charges you have incurred.