Health & Wellness

Student Health Services Clinic

Student Health Services [1] is located on the first floor of the John T. Powell Building (beside the Athletic Centre) and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Comprehensive health care is provided to all students at the facility. Students are encouraged to choose one of the doctors as their personal physician and then make appointments with him/her for all health issues or concerns. To make an appointment to see a doctor [2], students can book appointments online, in person, or by phone at 519-824-4120 ext. 52131.

The Walk-In Clinic is available for acute infections or injuries, pregnancy tests, acute headaches, acute abdominal pain, asthma attacks, and any sudden onset of illness. Students must have an appointment for general physical exams, counselling, prescriptions refills, sexually transmitted infection screening, immunizations, allergy injections, and management of chronic conditions.  When visiting the Student Health Centre, remember to take your UHIP card and your student ID card.  

After Hours Medical Clinics

Guelph has several walk-in medical clinics for people who have medical problems that may need immediate attention but that are not life-threatening, and most of these are open in the evening when the Student Health Centre is closed.  See the list of After Hours Clinics [3] and call first to make sure they are open.

Emergencies

If you have had a serious accident, illness or other medical emergency, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible.  Remember to take your UHIP  card with you to the hospital.  For a major medical emergency, phone 9-1-1 on your telephone and tell the operator it’s an emergency. They will send an ambulance.  The main hospital in Guelph the Guelph General Hospital, 115 Delhi St., telephone # (519) 822-5350.

Insurance after UHIP

If you plan to stay in Canada and travel after your studies have finished, you may not be covered by the UHIP insurance since it is for registered students. If you are looking to extend your coverage we recommend you look at Guard.Me insurance as often times they are willing to cover international students. You can find out more information at their website here [4].

Counselling Services

Counselling Services [5] provides support to students who are experiencing problems of a personal nature such as, but not limited to:  anxiety, stress, depression, or anger; thoughts of suicide; sexual, physical, emotional, and verbal abuse; eating disorders; grief and loss; relationship difficulties; sexuality concerns; and requests for academic consideration on emotional/psychological grounds.  Students can make appointments to speak with a trained Counsellor, and there is also a Walk-In Service available weekdays from 2:00pm to 3:30pm.  Counselling Services also offers other supports such as stress management programs and mental health resources.  

Student Accessibility Services

Student Accessibility Services [6] facilitates a variety of programs and services [7] to assist students with both temporary and permanent disabilities participate fully in university life and maximize campus accessibility.  Any exchange students who may require special services should register [8] with the Centre for Students with Disabilities (preferably before arriving at University of Guelph).  In order to receive special accommodations at University of Guelph, the advisor at your home university will also need to scan and e-mail a letter confirming what accommodations you usually receive (such as extra time on exams, a quiet room, a computer, etc) and a copy of your medical documentation.

The Health & Performance Centre

The Health & Performance Centre [9] on campus has physiotherapists, massage therapists, chiropractors, dietitians, a pedorthist and other professionals who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of acute and chronic orthopedic, musculoskeletal, sport and activity related injuries.  Your Student Health Plan may provide coverage for some or all of the fees associated with these services.

The Wellness Centre

The Wellness Centre [10] offers peer-to-peer information and support about health and well-being.  The student volunteers provide information kits, workshops, and one-on-one counselling about a variety of issues such as alcohol & drugs, sexual health, body image, healthy eating, and stress management.

LGBTQ2IA+ Resources

LGBTQ2IA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, plus individuals with other sexual orientations or gender identities, and allies. In Canada, LGBTQ+ or variations of this acronym are typically used to refer to this diverse group of people.

OUTline [11]is the University of Guelph's confidential support and resource service for individuals with questions relating to sexual orienation and gender diversity. They provide peer support and information services on issues relating to sexual orienation and gender diversity. You can visit the OUTLine Website for more information about their services. OUTLine also has information about other LGBTQ+ groups and resources at the University of Guelph.

Campus SafeWalk Service

The Campus SafeWalk [12] program provides student volunteers who will meet you to walk you home at night.  Their hours of operation are 7 days a week 7:30 pm to 2:30 am. (Hours may vary during Orientation Week, exams and holidays.)  If you call, they will send two SafeWalk volunteers who will walk you to any location on campus. The service is provided by the Central Student Association (CSA), and can be reached by calling ext. 53200 or 54845, or by pressing the SafeWalk button on any payphone on campus.

Emergency Poles on Campus

The Emergency Poles are yellow poles with blue lights on the top and are located at various places on campus. If you have an emergency, have been assaulted, or feel unsafe for any reason, you can press the red button on one of these poles. Someone will talk to you over the intercom system and will ask you what the emergency is. Tell them why you need assistance and they will send someone to help you.

General Safety

While the City of Guelph is a relatively friendly and safe place, crime can happen in any city and you should use common-sense precautions to ensure your safety and well-being.  These precautions include not going out alone at night, avoiding isolated or unlit areas, always making sure someone knows where you are going if you go out alone, not engaging in activities or behaviours you wouldn't usually do, and being careful with your alcohol consumption (as it can lower your awareness of what is going on around you and impair your ability to make good decisions.)