Personal Counseling: The COM Student Counseling and Wellness Center

The COM Student Counseling and Wellness Center is a multidisciplinary medical student support program under the auspices of the Office of Student Affairs which provides a full range of psychological and mental health services designed to support medical student success through professional diagnosis, counseling, and life-skills coaching. Services are designed to foster the academic potential of students by enhancing their personal development as well as their psychosocial and emotional health. The treatment philosophy of the COM Counseling and Wellness Center is strength focused, embracing the values of individualism, empowerment, positivity, dignity and respect. The personal counseling services offered by the COM Student Counseling and Wellness Center are professional and strictly confidential.

The Director of the COM Student Counseling and Wellness Center is a licensed psychologist with board certification in neuropsychopharmacology and specialized expertise in neuropsychology and the diagnosis and therapy of a variety of student mental health concerns that could impact a medical student's educational success. Some of the common concerns medical students typically address include: stress, relationship problems, anxiety disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit disorder, adjustment difficulties, perfectionism, substance abuse, victimization, and simply dealing with being average academically.

The professionals at the COM Student Counseling and Wellness Center maintain the highest professional standards with regard to ethical and competent care. Modes of intervention include individual, group and couples counseling as well as individual psychological and neuropsychological testing. Enrolled students may receive short-term and solution-focused outpatient counseling and therapy during all phases of their professional education and training. Counseling services and consultations are provided free of charge to students.

The Director of Student Counseling and Wellness has no involvement in the academic evaluation or promotion of students. The psychologist(s) in this office is available to work with individuals and small groups of students with concerns related to academic improvement and personal issues. Students wishing to enhance their current academic performance as well as those experiencing academic difficulty are eligible to consult with the psychologist to receive assistance in improving the quality and efficiency of study skills and time management as well as better cope with test or performance anxiety. Students experiencing issues of a personal or psychological nature that might be interfering currently or have the potential to interfere with academic progress are also able to consult with the psychologist for short-term mental health therapy to address issues related to anxiety, depression, family, or relationship issues; grief or anger issues; and crisis intervention. In situations where a student requires on-going mental health care or needs diagnosis and/or treatment beyond the scope of services the Medical Student Counseling and Wellness Center can provide a referral will be made to an appropriate health professional, including a psychiatrist, within the university or local community.

Professional services also include group workshops designed to promote mental health to include the following topics: stress management and time management, depression and anxiety screening, relationships, developing personal strengths, team building, communication skills, personality assessment, student development, improving test-taking skills, and wellness programs specifically designed to promote medical student personal and academic success.

Faculty, course directors, mentors, and deans are additionally charged with providing counseling for student personal issues that do not require the services of a psychologist. The FIU College of Medicine understands that many physical and psychological health issues confronting medical students may be of a sensitive nature and that a professional-patient relationship between FIU faculty and students would be inconsistent with a teacher-student relationship. FIU faculty members who provide health care services of a sensitive nature to any medical student will have no involvement in the academic evaluation or promotion of students.

Office location: The FIU College of Medicine Student Medical Student Counseling and Wellness Center is located in a dedicated suite of offices (rooms 340 A, B, and C) located near the Medical Library. The Medical Student Counseling and Wellness Center features a dedicated office for confidential personal counseling staffed by the COM Director of Counseling, a licensed board-certified psychologist, as well as an office designed for testing, stress-management, and is the home to a series of performance enhancing programs designed specifically to meet the needs of medical students. The emphasis of the Medical Student Counseling and Wellness Center is to foster success through personal psychological intervention when necessary as well as general lifestyle enhancement through individualized academic counseling and wellness programs.

Medical students seeking personal counseling should first call the COM Student Medical Student Counseling and Wellness Center at 305-348-1460 during normal business hours to make an appointment, whenever possible. Special appointments will also be made to accommodate students' schedules, as necessary. Urgent or crisis matters will be triaged immediately with psychological services or referral. Medical students who experience an emergency during the evenings, weekends, and holidays will be able to call an emergency phone number to speak to the "on-call" dean in the COM Office of Student Affairs.

Students on campus who need emergency assistance should call the FIU Department of Public Safety at (305) 348-5911. Students who need emergency services and are not currently on campus should call 911 for all life-threatening emergencies. Medical students can also contact the Victim Advocacy Center at (305) 348-3000 for free and confidential services if the student experiences actual or threatened violence.

Heidi von Harscher, PhD, FICPP
FIU College of Medicine — Office of Student Affairs
Director of College of Medicine Counseling and Wellness Center
Phone: 305-348-1460

Academic counseling will be provided by the Associate and Assistant Deans of Student Affairs who, in turn, may arrange additional counseling with individual course or clerkship directors or faculty, or with area clinicians who have expertise in the area of interest or need. Students may elect to consult directly with faculty or course and clerkship directors to best meet individual academic needs. Additionally a tutoring system will be available for specific course topics and can be arranged through the Office of Student Affairs.

Medical counseling will be available through the FIU Student Health Services in the form of actual primary medical care, prevention, women's health, and health education and wellness. Confidential, cost-effective professional services are provided to all registered students, including medical students, at the student clinic located in the University Health Services Complex. Services are available Mondays through Fridays. Medical students who need to be seen after hours or on weekends, or who need specialty care, diagnostic testing, or urgent care will be referred to appropriate facilities in the local community.

Financial counseling will be provided by a dedicated Director of Financial Aid with experience and knowledge in the availability of both federal and commercial (private) grants and loans and the availability of COM and FIU scholarships. The director will also assist in the process of applying for financial aid as well as in advising on financial planning as needed.