The University Health Center Is Ready to Serve
To help students balance their studies and their health, the Montpellier University Health Center meets all the needs of students and supports them throughout their healthcare journey. We sat down with the CSU team, whose services are more essential than ever.
Medical and psychological support, combined with a warm welcome and attentive listening—that’s what the University Health Center ( CSU) offers students in Montpellier.“We are a health center for students,” explains Olivier Jonquet, the director of the CSU.“ For all students,” the doctor—who cares deeply about these young people’s health—is keen to emphasize. Because here, it doesn’t matter whether you’re at the university, in a BTS program, or attending a public or private school—as long as you have a student ID, you’re welcome.“The CSU is an inter-institutional service; we offer care and a healthcare pathway tailored to the needs of students in Montpellier,” adds Stéphanie Gally, the center’s administrative director.
“Care is provided by a team of 14 people—‘10 UM staff members UM 4 CHU staff members, for a total of 6.8 full-time equivalents,’explains Stéphanie Gally.”Composed of general practitioners, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and physical therapists, the medical and paramedical team is supported by a vital medical-administrative support unit that assists young people—who are sometimes lost in the administrative maze—and guides them through the process of enrolling in social security or accessing supplemental health benefits. This dynamic team meets a significant demand:“2,900 medical consultations and 850 paramedical consultations in the 2019–2020 academic year alone,” explains the administrative director.
Comprehensive medical care
It must be said that the CSU has everything going for it.“Withtheir student ID,social securitycard, and health insurance card, patientsdon’t have topay anythingout of pocket thanks to the full third-party payment system, ”explains Olivier Jonquet. “Plus, theygetan appointment within 48 hours of making a request.” This rapid care is particularly well-suited to students’ often modest budgets.
Whether they need a vaccine, a medical certificate, a small stitch, a prescription, a screening, or even yoga or meditation sessions, students can contact the CSU, which will welcome them at its four medical offices, two of which are accessible to people with limited mobility.“And whennecessary,we refer them to a specialist at the university hospital, whoseesthemvery quickly,” adds Olivier Jonquet.
Speed and convenience are key advantages for Dr. Abel Perraudin, who provides general practice and gynecology consultations:“40% of medical consultations are for gynecology, and more than two-thirds of our patients are female students. When you considerhow long it takes to get an appointment with a gynecologist in the private sector,it’s important to knowthat here they’ll see a doctor quickly and at a lower cost, given that the average price of a gynecological consultation elsewhere is 50 euros.” He added:“We can prescribe birth control for them andeven perform medical abortions.”
Psychiatric and psychological support
The University Health Center also provides psychological and psychiatric support, in collaboration with Professor Philippe Courtet and the University Hospital. These services have been overwhelmed during this pandemic, which is having a severe impact on students. “They are sometimes far from home,feeling vulnerable, anddeprived of their usual part-time jobs; we’re seeing a real sense of unease among students that comes through in our consultations,” says Stéphanie Gally with concern. “The demand for psychological counseling has doubled;we now have a 10- to 15-daywait to see a psychologist at the CSU,” adds Olivier Jonquet. And this is despite the hiring of an additional psychologist.
To address these growing needs, the CSU aims to further strengthen mental health support by increasing the availability of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as expanding the number of sessions for workshops on stress and anxiety management.“We also want to create aUniversity Psychological SupportOffice,or BAPU,” explains Olivier Jonquet. This counseling center will be open to all students seeking psychological support, who will have access to a team of psychotherapists—including psychiatrists and psychologists—social workers, and administrative staff.“There will be no limit on the number of sessions; support will be provided for as long as the student feels the need,” reassures Stéphanie Gally.
In the meantime, the doors of the CSU are wide open to them, and students can be sure they’ll receive prompt and competent assistance there. As an added bonus, they’ll always be greeted with a smile and a cheerful attitude.
- In practice:The CSU is open to students by appointment Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Please come to 8 rue de l’école normale (across from the FDE, in the former Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie building) with your student ID, health insurance card, and supplemental health insurance card.
Phone: 04 11 28 19 79
Email
5 Years Dedicated to Student Health
The University Health Center was established in September 2016, initially under the auspices of the Languedoc-Roussillon University Community (Comue). Since January1, 2020, the CSU has been administratively affiliated with the University of Montpellier as part of the campus policy. Since September 2018, it has been housed in dedicated, fully renovated facilities at 8 rue de l’école normale in Montpellier.
The CSU complements the services offered to students by the Joint Office for Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion (SCMPPS).