Pittsburg State University - Kanza Yearbook (Pittsburg, KS)

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since it doesn't receive any financial support from taxes or general Universi- ty appropriations. Margaret Rupard, head nurse at the center said that their services include performing first aid care for all emer- gencies and giving treatment for minor conditions, taking diagnostic x-rays when ordered by a physician and pro- viding health conferences with the school nurse on campus as needed. If a student needs to see a physician, the center will make referrals to local medical specialists and reimburse the student up to $9 for the first office visit. student up to $9 for the first office visit. However, this excludes eye refractions and routine dental maintenance. Kelly Rogers, Springfield, Mo., junior, said the center comes in handy if you do need treatment for a minor il- lness or injury and can't afford to go to a local physician. 'They'll take throat cultures and give you aspirin and lozenges for the basic cold and flu which really saves a lot of money when you think of what it would cost you for an office call. Paying for some of the bill if you do have to see a local doctor helps quite a bit, too, she said. Some students don't go through the Student Health Center but go ahead and go to physicians, as well as dentists, within the community. I do treat a few students from time to time, but I think the trend is changing, said Dr. Davis Cheek, a Pitt- sburg dentist, Most of the time they come in for emergency treatment so they can make it until they can get back home. I really don't see many from out of town regularly. According to Francis Ales, the office manager for Pittsburg physicians Dr. HAVING YOUR DENTAL work done out of town is sometimes an uneasy experience, but Monique Cantu, Kansas City, sophomore, finds it easy to be relaxed as Dr. Davis, Pittsburg dentist, applies his dental skills with the help of his assistant, Jean Ann Hontz. —photo by Jo Black AS A ONE YEAR nurse, Paulette Newton, an employee of the Pittsburg Family Planning Clinic, stresses to patients the importance of having their blood pressure checked regularly, —photo by Jo Black Donald Holsinger and Dr. G.W. Pogson, their office averages about five students per month. The students that usually come through our office haven't been through the Student Health Center at all. They usually need cold and sore throat medication or treatment for emergency injuries, Ales said. Dr. Cheek and Ales agree that in- surance coverage of medical bills can be one of the biggest problems in treating college students. Insurance is long, involved and in- convenient, Dr. Cheek said. A lot of times all the forms have to be sent to parents because students usually don't know their policy numbers. There are also different treatments, different con- ditions and different companies you have to deal with, he said. Ales said that when payment of bills can't be made by the student, or if problems do arise with insurance, parents are notified. Most students pay right here on the spot in cash. We don't even have to send out billing to most of them. We run into difficulties with only about five percent of the students we treat, she said. —by Jacque Porter Health Services Living Zj

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An apple a day . . . Will it really keep the doctor away? Have you ever had a toothache, stomach flu or just the dreaded com- mon cold and been 200 miles from your family doctor or dentist? These situations can prove to be very frustrating for students that are attend- ing school away from home and haven't made any arrangement for health care with a community physician or dentist. The Student Health Center offers a solution to the problem. All students enrolled in seven or more credit hours are eligible for the services provided by the center. According to Dr. James AuBuchon, director of Planning and Student De- velopment, the operation of the center is supported entirely by student fees Health Services Living

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Behind the wheel Commuting is part of the routine The majority of college students today learned the skill of driving in a high school driver's education class. A number of students at Pittsburg State University who are not local residents of Pittsburg, Arma or Frontenac take advan- tage of this knowledge as they commute to and from school everyday and, for many, there is simply no other choice. The percentage of commuters has stayed about the same within the past 10 years with commuters totaling 812 out of 3,878 in 1972, according to Wilma Minton, director of Student Affairs. Minton said that of the 3,845 full-time undergraduates enrolled in the fall of 1982, 671 commuted. One of these people is Thomas Flinchum, Independence senior, who has been driving to PSU five days a week since the fall of 1981. Flinchum said that driving back and forth every day has just proven to be more economical than moving to Pit- tsburg since both he and his wife, Janet, have well-paying jobs in Independence. I'm a motor carrier for the Kansas City Star and Janet is a computer operator for the Montgomery County Appraiser's Of- fice. With three children and my wife ex- pecting another the money is just too good for us to quit and move, Flinchum said. Flinchum drives just about 650 miles a week to and from campus but says that about $30 a week usually covers gas expenses thanks to his Commuting Living