Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook (Lubbock, TX)

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What do you think of when you hear the term Quack Shack? The name conjures up images of men in white coats nervously running around adminis- tering the same medicine to every pa- tient, no matter what the ailment is. But does that image accurately portray Thompson Hall? Anyone who has been to Thompson Hall in the past year and a half would strongly disagree with the image. In January 1988, Student Health Ser- vices was incorporated into the Tech Health Sciences Center ' s department of family medicine headed by Dr. Ted Kantn- er. Kantner went to work with one goal in mind: to organize a structured health care center with long-term goals as the focus. In doing so, he improved salaries, hired and replaced physicians, made require- ments for each separate department of health care and brought in two board- certified family practitioners, licensed and experienced in most general fields of medicine. Most students would believe that Thompson Hall is a place that treats viruses, flu and cuts or injuries. Very few realize that they could find dermatology treatments, orthopedics, gynecological care, allergy shots and even a warts clinic there. The doctors arrive at 8 a.m. to prepare for examinations. At 8:15, I ' m seeing my first patient and continue to see patients until noon, if I ' m lucky. If I ' m not lucky, I don ' t break for lunch and keep working until 5:00, which is usually more often the case than not, said Dr. Scott Fry, director of Student Health Services. When asked why he was working at Thompson Hall as opposed to a private practice, Fry said, 1 like the age group. Students are young, healthy, and they understand instructions and explana- tions. They ' re fun to talk to. At the end of the day, I can usually say that I had fun. About 150 to 200 students are seen each day at Thompson Hall, most with common illnesses such as sinus infec- tions and stomach viruses, depending on the time of year. In previous years, Thompson Hall may have been labeled the Quack Shack, but with the improvements that have oc- curred and the progress that continues to be made, students can feel confident and comfortable that they will have the best possible care. — Lindy K. Warren In addition to his responsibilities as director of thie Student Healthi Center, Dr. Scott Fry examines Dawn Hartman, a sophomore from Arlington, during a routine check-up. On an average day, Student Health sees 1 50 to 200 patients. (Photo by Corby Roberts) VIEWS ON H EALTH CENTER CHANGE With the new improvements at the Student Health Center, what once was thought of as the Quack Shack now is considered the place to go when needing serious medical care. Edited by Lindy Warren Designed by Mark Valdez Student Health Center — 29

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In the past, student health was not a high priority item on college cam- puses. Students were young and gener- ally healthy, and the public did not expect much preventive medicine or health main- tenance. The prevailing attitude among health professionals was that if one could write a prescription for penicillin for ton- sillitis or bronchitis, one could be a stu- dent health physician. We now are in an era of national health consciousness and high college enroll- ment. It is generally accepted that anyone over the age of 20 should know his choles- terol level and take measures to correct it if it is high. There are many other exam- ples of the developing public attitude in favor of maintaining good health as op- posed to merely treating illnesses. Also, 8 to 14 percent of the students seen at Tech ' s Student Health Service are over 35 years old. Those students are moving into an age group where chronic and serious illnesses are seen with increasing fre- quency. These facts mean that the ser- vices provided by a college student heal- th center and the basic medical knowl- edge and education skills of the student health professionals need to be much greater today than they were in the recent past. Texas Tech University and the Tech Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) are rising to meet this new challenge to stu- dent health. Less than two years ago, the Student Health Service was placed in the TTUHSC department of family medicine. Dr. Theodore Kanter hired three addition- al board-certified family practitioners to the staff of Student Health Services, with one serving as medical director. Together they are working at improving relation- ships with the various departments in the Health Sciences Center and the private medical community to provide medical specialty back-up for student health. They also are strengthening their relation- ships with Tech ' s administrators to pro- vide information about students ' health issues and the needs of Student Health to address those issues. Expansion is the key to the future of student health. How to accomplish this and the direction to take are the ques- tions that must be answered. If Texas Tech students want more qualified physi- cians and more comprehensive services, additional funding must be located. Ques- tions concerning services and funding will be explored through the Student Health Advisory Committee under the Office of Student Affairs. This committee is intend- ed to ensure that Student Health re- sponds to the students ' needs and de- sires. —Dr. Scott Fry, M.D., Director of Student Health Services 28 — student Health Center

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30 — Pizza