Being in good physical and mental health is critical to maintaining good academic standing as well as quality of life. The University of Toronto is committed to helping students achieve optimal health and offers numerous confidential health and counseling services. Each campus provides students with a variety of health education and outreach programs and information materials, as well as clinicians and health care professionals.
Clinics and Centres
St. George Health Service
Health Service on St. George campus offers a range of services for University of Toronto students and their partners. The health team includes family physicians, registered nurses, a Community Health Coordinator, a Health Promotion Nurse, support staff and peer health educators
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Physician services include comprehensive medical care, counselling and referrals. Nurses provide information and a range of services including dressing care, immunizations and travel health education. Diagnostic tests and procedures, ordered in the clinic, are performed by a lab technician in the on-site laboratory.
Comprehensive sexual health assessment, care and counselling are also available for men and women, including contraception counselling, education and prescriptions. Contraceptive products are available at a reduced cost when prescribed by a Health Service physician. Male condoms are available free in the clinic waiting room, and female condoms are available free with counselling. The Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP), also know as the “Morning After Pill”, pregnancy testing, pregnancy support, as well as sexually transmitted infection testing, treatment and education are also available.
St. George Health Service is a designated Health Canada Travel Medicine Clinic and offers a complete travel immunization and education program for students.
In order to provide quality health care, Health Service staff recommends that students schedule appointments with the same physician, who can become familiar with their health history and needs. A “drop-in” option is available for a one-problem-only visit.
UTM Health Service
The UTM Health Service department provides health care, emotional support and health education. Students are seen by appointment or accommodated on a drop in basis depending on availability. Registered nurses are on site Monday to Friday. Appointments are available with physicians, psychiatrists and a personal counsellor. UTM Health services provides: treatment for illnesses and injuries, referrals to specialists, physical exams, immunization and TB testing, first aid and sports injury treatment, allergy injections, sexual health care including reduced cost of contraception, mental health assessment and care as well as expertise in eating disorder problems.
UTSC Health and Wellness Centre
The Health and Wellness Centre is a convenient and confidential medical clinic at UTSC offering health care, personal counselling and health promotion. Registered nurses are on site Monday to Friday, with the physicians’ schedule posted on the web site. Professionals are also able to provide personal counselling.
Physicians and nurses provide treatment of minor illnesses, first-aid, pregnancy tests, annual check-ups, birth control prescriptions and sales, STI tests including HIV/AIDS, immunizations and over-the-counter cold and headache medications. Appointments are recommended and walk-ins are accommodated. UTSC International students may pick up their UHIP card here.
Professionals including physician-counsellors, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and psychotherapists can help with family problems, eating disorders, relationships, depression, anxiety, stress, drug and alcohol abuse and more.
Psychiatric Service
The St. George Psychiatric Service assists students with a variety of psychological and emotional problems including depression, anxiety, disordered eating, attention and concentration difficulties, phobias and problems with sleep through various individual therapies. Pharmacotherapy, the use of medication, is also available. For students who are experiencing difficulties in their relationships, couple therapy is available. For women with bulimia or students whose difficulties are best addressed in a group therapy setting, there are two therapeutic groups. For urgent situations, an on-call clinician is available between 9am and 5pm on week days. Information on mental-health issues is available through our outreach and education programming.
David L. Macintosh Sport Medicine Clinic
The David L. Macintosh Sport Clinic is located in the lower level of the Athletic Centre. The Clinic specializes in all health issues related to physical activity in a comprehensive sport medicine care facility. You don't have to be a high performance athlete to come to the facility. U of T students, faculty, staff and community are welcome at the MacIntosh Clinic.
Non Students and Students at other institutions require a doctor's referral to visit the clinic. Call 416-978-4678 for information.
Dentistry Patient Clinic
The Faculty of Dentistry offers a full service dental facility and will do fillings, dentures, braces, bridges, implants, children's dentistry, root canals, crowns, gum disease treatments, extractions of wisdom teeth and more. Under the supervision of trained dentists, our students successfully treat thousands of patients every year in our many dental clinics at reduced cost. Some programs have a long waiting list, particularly for braces and implants. For more information, visit the clinic web site.
Personal Counselling
The St. George Counselling and Learning Skills Service (CALSS) provides students with caring and confidential professional counselling and psychotherapy for emotional and interpersonal problems; disturbances resulting from abuse and assault; difficulties adjusting to university life; anxiety; depression; addictions; relationship problems; prolonged stress; sexuality and gender concerns; self-esteem issues; shyness; issues of race and ethnicity; and couples with relationship problems.
The CALSS offers group psychotherapyas an alternative to individual counselling. For information, call 416-978-7970.
Student Crisis Response Programs
The University of Toronto Student Crisis Response Programs are a series of initiatives designed to enhance support and access to resources for students in difficulty or distress. Through a series of programs and initiatives, we focus on connecting students in need with the resources that can assist them in resolving the difficult or critical situations they may encounter while engaged in their studies here. More broadly, we work to build capacities and develop networks across the university that facilitate connection, communication, and support for all students at the University of Toronto.
Health & Dental Insurance
International students: University Health Insurance Program (UHIP)
International students are covered by mandatory health insurance, comparable (but not equivalent) to OHIP. The UHIP premium is included in student incidental fees. UHIP cards can be picked up at the International Students Centre (ISC). Family coverage must be purchased at the ISC within 30 days of arrival in Canada. Call 978-0290 or e-mail: uhip.information@utoronto.ca
Supplementary Insurance
Full-time undergraduate students (St. George and UTM) and Toronto School of Theology students:
The Student Administrative Council (SAC) health and dental plan was designed by students for students to provide you with many important services, and to cover expenses not covered by your basic provincial health plan, such as prescription drugs, health practitioners, medical equipment and more. Visit the SAC Web site for more information and claim forms.
Full-time undergraduate students at UTSC:
The Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) offers a health and dental plan for full-time UTSC students. The Plan was to provide many important services not covered currently by provincial health care such as prescription drugs, health-care practitioners, eye exams, and dental care.
Part-time undergraduate students (all campuses):
The Association of Part Time Undergraduate Students (APUS) offers a health and dental plan for part-time undergraduate students. More information and forms are available at the APUS Web site.
Graduate students:
The Graduate Students Union (GSU) runs a supplementary health insurance plan that pays for some medical expenses not covered by OHIP or UHIP. Full-time registered students are automatically covered. Visit the GSU site for more information and claim forms.
Health Tips
The Getting There handbook online devotes an entire section to “Living Well” where topics include:
- Eating well
- Smoking Cessation and the 'Leave the Pack Behind' program
- Understanding alcohol
- Safer sex
- Support for pregnant students
- Aggressive religious recruiting
- Environmental health and safety
- Managing stress
- Coping with crisis
- Personal Safety
Sleepy Head
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A good night's sleep. Getting the proper quantity and quality of sleep is critical to ensuring good health and optimal performance.
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Can't sleep? Here are some tips.
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