Nov 23, 2024
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 2024-2025
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Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 2024-2025

Campus Life

One-Stop HCOM Student Resource Page 

Accepted and Current Students can find information about a variety of topics that are relevant to campus life in the One-Stop HCOM Student Resource Website: ohio.edu/medicine/student-resources. 

Housing Options

Individual students must find housing solutions that suit their own needs. The basic options are:

  • On the Athens campus - OU residence halls or OU-owned rentals (apartments or houses) or privately owned rentals (apartments, houses, or mobile homes). 
  • In Athens, Dublin, and Cleveland - privately owned rentals (apartments, houses, or mobile homes), or condominium, house, or mobile home purchase.

Current students are available to offer advice about housing based on their own experiences through social media groups and personal communication. Often property owners prefer medical students as tenants and will let the college know of upcoming vacancies. Incoming students should begin their housing search early in the spring prior to matriculation.

Many rental properties are listed in local newspapers, which can be accessed online. A listing of these sites can be found at www.ohio.edu/medicine/med-admissions/accepted/housing .

Food Service

Heritage Hall 105 serves as a student lounge and kitchen for students. Dining tables and chairs are available, as well as a sofa and chairs, coffee maker, television and ping-pong table. A variety of meal plan options are available to Athens students through Ohio’s dining services. Students do not have to live on campus to participate in one of the meal plans, but may purchase any of the plans as an off-campus student. All university food service contracts are binding for the entire academic year for on-campus students. Off-campus students may purchase a meal plan contract. More in-depth information about Ohio University’s food service is available at www.ohio.edu/food .

The Dublin campus features a communal break room location on the second floor of Medical Education Building 1 (MEB1), room 235, directly adjacent to the Student Lounge. In the area there is a refrigerator, kitchen sink, microwaves and Keurigs available for all those on campus to use.  There is a general seating environment on the first floor of MEB1. This space is available to all students, staff, and faculty of the Heritage College, Dublin. As an amenity to the college community, there are vending machines dispensing a variety of beverages, coffee, and snacks in MEB1 (first floor) and Medical Education Building 2 (MEB2, second floor). 

The Cleveland campus features a café onsite, operated by Aramark Food Services, where students may purchase freshly made bistro items such as soups, salads, and sandwiches.

Vehicle Registration and Parking

Ohio University students must register vehicles or motorcycles with OU’s parking services prior to purchasing a permit. For security purposes, it is recommended that any bicycle that will be kept on campus be registered with the Ohio University Police Department. For additional information on vehicle registration, see www.ohio.edu/transportation-parking/campus-parking/commuters .

After registering the vehicle, commuter permits must be purchased online trhough your OU Parking Portal. A driver’s license and student ID are required to purchase a permit. A commuter student is defined as a student who resides 1-mile or more from the nearest commuter parking lot on campus.  Students residing inside this 1-mile radius or at a nearby apartment complex with accompanying transportation are not permitted to purchase commuter parking and should utilize available transportation opportunities. Such apartment complexes include but are not limited to: The Summit, Courtyard, Commons, RiverPark, RiverGate, and Mill Street Apartments.

The Dublin campus has an open, general parking model throughout the site. Parking permits are not currently required. Heritage College, Dublin students are encouraged to utilize the parking lot in front of Medical Education Building 1 (MEB1), the main instruction facility at the campus. All are asked to notify Campus Security if leaving a vehicle onsite overnight or on weekends.

A parking permit is not required for Cleveland students. There will be designated parking areas at the Cleveland campus for Heritage College students. Information will be emailed to students before they arrive on campus.

Student Health Insurance

Major medical insurance coverage is mandatory for all Ohio University students registered for seven or more credit hours. Students will be automatically enrolled in and billed for a policy offered by the university. If the student does not wish to purchase the policy offered by Ohio University, they may decline it by providing documentation of comparable coverage. To avoid paying for the policy offered by Ohio University, students must decline coverage by the posted deadline.

More information about the insurance coverage available to Ohio University students is accessible by visiting www.ohio.edu/medicine/community-health/campus-care/billing  or by contacting the Ohio University Student Health Insurance Administrator via email at studentinsurance@ohio.edu  or telephone 740.593.1931.

Student Health Care

Campus Care, located in Hudson Health Center on the Athens campus and operated by University Medical Associates, Inc., offers health care services to Ohio University students. Enrolled students may access medical care in the ambulatory care clinic on a walk-in basis Sunday through Friday. Eligibility for services does not depend on purchasing student health insurance. Students who already have comparable health coverage may waive the United Healthcare student insurance plan by logging online to My Ohio and completing the insurance waiver. To avoid paying for the policy offered by Ohio University, you must decline the coverage online by the posted deadline. Details of the policy’s coverage are available at www.uhcsr.com . Once on this page enter “Ohio University”. Please Note: Submission of an alternative insurance card to Campus Care or any other facility is not considered a valid waiver for the Student Health Insurance Policy.

The WellBeing plan is an optional enhancement to student health care. It works with your medical insurance to reduce the costs of health services as well as expanding student health care options on campus. Every student is automatically enrolled. You can opt out of this fee and see the deadline by accessing the waiver on your MY OHIO Student Center . A waiver is required once each term. The WellBeing benefits are valid only at Ohio University Campus Care.

The outpatient clinic offers a pharmacy, a medical laboratory, X-ray facilities and a physical therapy department. The staff includes physicians, registered nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, and registered laboratory and x-ray technicians. A medical record is maintained. More information about Campus Care is available at  www.ohio.edu/medicine/community-health/campus-care/ .

In Dublin, students may choose from any number of local healthcare providers for preventative and emergency care. Dublin Methodist Hospital, an OhioHealth Urgent Care, and many primary care offices are located just over a mile away from campus. The OhioHealth online “Find a Doctor” search can further be used as a resource for students seeking a primary care physician.

With the Heritage College’s major affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland  campus students will be encouraged to utilize the services of the Cleveland Clinic located throughout the Greater Cleveland area.  Options for locating a physician or healthcare: 

  • The Cleveland Clinic online Find a Doctor web page (my.clevelandclinic.org/staff) can assist a student in identifying a physician close to their residence and one who meets their personal needs. 
  • Call the Cleveland Clinic Appointment Center, 866.320.4573. The appointment center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 
  • Go to a Cleveland Clinic Express Care® Clinic or Urgent Care Clinic. Here you can get walk-in convenience and the treatment you or a family member needs as soon as possible from our board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. No appointment is necessary and we offer convenient locations throughout northeast Ohio. Services and hours vary by location. Please visit the website for details. 
  • Virtual Visits are available 24/7 on the MyClevelandClinic app. The app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. 
  • For emergency situations, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. 
  • Not sure where to go, learn more by clicking here 

As an Ohio University CLEVELAND student, if you are still not sure who to see using the resources above, when, or where to go for care, you can contact Anthony Tizzano, MD, Director of Student and Learner Health at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Tizzano is available to help triage your care and consult on topics like health screenings, immunizations, contraception, STIs and general student health. Dr. Tizzano can be reached at by calling or texting 330.464.2111 or email,  tizzana@ccf.org .

  • Preferable hours for Dr. Tizzano are daily between 7am- 7pm. If urgency is needed, Dr. Tizzano will try to avail himself on a 24 hour basis but recognize he is in meetings and may have other obligations where he cannot not answer at all times. If your issue is an emergency, please go to a local emergency room or call 911.

Counseling and Psychological Services

In Athens, Ohio University operates Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) ( www.ohio.edu/counseling ), which provides mental health and adjustment services to students and also consultation to faculty, administrators and parents of students. Athens-based Ohio students, including Heritage College students in Athens, also have access to a 24/7 phone-in service for counseling. This after-hours service provides phone-based counseling by mental health professionals as well as immediate referral to an on-call CPS staff counselor in Athens if needed for an emergency. 

A wide variety of confidential and psychological services are offered through CPS on the Athens campus including individual counseling, group counseling, drop-in/emergency services, consultation, psychiatric consultation, eating disorders/body image, medical withdrawal, emergency consultation, and psychiatric services in the Athens area.   

Although Athens Campus services are available to Heritage College registered students at their clinical sites and to Dublin and Cleveland campus students, the distance to the Athens Campus serves as an obstacle to accessing them unless the students are serving rotations in the Athens area. Students at their clinical campus training sites utilize services of professionals recommended through their Assistant Dean and Academic Program Administrator or they identify their own provider. Access is provided through the United Health Care plan.

For Dublin students, the Heritage College has an extended partnership for behavioral health services via Syntero. Students can meet virtually or with an on-campus Syntero clinician to proactively manage stress reactions and develop coping strategies. For free (up to 10 sessions) and with confidentiality, students are able to access 1:1 support for both early intervention and counseling services. Treatment services will include a Diagnostic Assessment with further treatment recommendations. Appointments can be made by calling the Syntero Intake Department at 614.889.5722extension 133 or through utilization of online referral/scheduling links. For priority scheduling at Syntero, it is advised to identify as a Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine student when making an appointment. 

·    Current Students  connected to Syntero, please  use the scheduling link here

·    New Students  connecting with Syntero can complete the necessary referral form  (5-10 minutes) online. Once completed, a contact will follow for scheduling 

In addition to the embedded counselor on the Dublin campus, Syntero’s Dublin office site is also within 4.5 miles of the campus. Syntero offers a number of counseling services, including individual and family, child and adolescent, geriatric, trauma and substance abuse. Syntero also accepts United Health Care insurance plans. Beyond individual and group counseling, Syntero is able to provide services for educational sessions on depression, anxiety, and grief counseling. 

Dublin students have access to 24/7 service through Syntero through their phone line as well as staffing for emergency cases at the Dublin Methodist Hospital within a mile from the Heritage College, Dublin campus.  

Heritage College has entered a partnership for behavioral health services with Hope Behavioral Health. At no cost to the student (for up to 10 sessions), Cleveland students can meet privately and confidentially on campus or virtually with our campus Hope Behavioral Health  outpatient clinician.   The clinician will work with students  to proactively manage stress reactions, develop coping strategies, or work through any identified behavioral health need. Students can access 1:1 support for both early intervention and counseling services. 

Recreation

Heritage Hall room 347 provides space for Heritage College students, faculty, and staff to work out while on campus on a first-come, first serve basis. Students and employees of the Heritage College will need to swipe their ID badge to access the fitness and mindfulness room. The space includes treadmills, stair climber, ellipticals, rower, and free weights. There are day-lockers (lockable for 24 hours) available within the fitness space. All equipment and yoga mats are to remain in Heritage Hall room 347.  

It is expected that after each use, sanitizing wipes are used to clean the high touch surfaces.  

Additionally, there is a balcony within the space with outdoor seating and a Mindfulness Room that can be used for yoga, meditation and to accommodate the spiritual needs of all students. 

There are many recreational opportunities at Ohio University, which include activities at the Charles J. Ping Student Recreation Center, an aquatic center, an indoor ice-skating rink, a golf course and driving range, gymnasiums, tennis courts, athletic fields and areas for activities ranging from softball to horseshoe pitching. Another popular feature of the Athens area, used by students and the community alike, is the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway, a 16-mile paved bicycle trail that runs from Athens to nearby Nelsonville. Though built for bicycling, the trail is very popular with walkers and joggers, as well.

For the sports-minded, many intramural activities that involve individual, dual and team competition are available for interested students. For more information about the recreational facilities and opportunities at Ohio University, please visit the university’s web site at www.ohio.edu/recreation .

Ohio University is in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I-A and is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Ohio fields men’s varsity teams in football, basketball, baseball, golf, wrestling and cross country, and women’s varsity teams in basketball, softball, field hockey, indoor and outdoor track, swimming, cross-country, volleyball and soccer. For more information about Ohio’s intercollegiate sports activities, please visit  www.ohiobobcats.com .

Many scenic areas are located near Athens and are used as weekend retreats by students. Among the most popular are Dow Lake, located just east of Athens in a 200-acre state park and used by the university for educational and research projects; Lake Hope, located in Zaleski State Forest about 25 miles from Athens; the caves and gorges of the Hocking Hills State Park area near Logan; and Burr Oak Lake, Glouster. Athens County is also home to portions of the Wayne National Forest, which offers ample recreational opportunities for those who seek “the great outdoors” on the weekend. For additional information on local attractions, visit www.athensohio.com .

Dublin students are given the opportunity to establish a membership with the Dublin Community Recreation Center and  engage with recreational intramural team sports, all at no additional cost over and above normal student fees. The Dublin campus also maintains two gym areas featuring cardio equipment, free weights, and other fitness equipment as well as showers in the anatomy lab building for use by students, faculty and staff.

The City of Dublin takes great measures to sustain and improve the quality of life for its residents. Dublin is a vibrant city with safe neighborhoods, a solid network of parks and shared-use paths and a variety of community events and activities for residents to enjoy. With more than 100 miles of bike paths and 60 parks, Dublin has been recognized nationally as one of the best places to live. A complete listing of recreation opportunities for Dublin students can be found at at  https://dublinohiousa.gov/parks-open-space .

The Cleveland Campus has areas dedicated to student recreation and wellness. Those areas include one multi-purpose room for yoga, cardio equipment, free weights and other fitness equipment. Students also have the option to enroll in Life Time Fitness Center at no additional cost. The fitness and well-being of the students is a top priority and there are many fitness and wellness programming opportunities planned.

Cleveland, Ohio is served by the Cleveland Metroparks. The Metroparks are located within a 15 minute ride of every county resident and boast 300 miles of all-purpose hiking, biking, and bridle trails with 14 miles of lakefront. Also included in the Cleveland Metroparks are eight golf courses and one nationally acclaimed zoo.

Cultural Events and Entertainment

Ohio University and the Athens community ensure that Ohio students do not lack access to theatrical productions performed by professionals, theater students and faculty, and community groups; first run movies; foreign films and art exhibits. Opera, recitals, musical and dance concerts, poetry slams, distinguished lectures and an annual literary festival also make up part of the rich cultural experiences available to students at Ohio University.

The Performing Arts Series on the Ohio Athens Campus is a well-established series of 10 to 14 national and international programs that include symphony orchestras, Broadway theater, dance, recitalists, and choral and ethnic programs.

Southeastern Ohio’s cultural heritage center, the Dairy Barn Arts Center, presents exhibitions that annually draw more than 8,000 gallery patrons from around the world. Notable among these exhibitions is the biennial juried Quilt National and Bead International, which tour to host venues across the country for two years following their close at The Dairy Barn Arts Center. Additionally, the center offers the biennial exhibits Athens Voices and OH+5, which feature local and regional artists, and organize and present curated and invitational exhibitions.

For a more in-depth look at the cultural events available at Ohio University, please visit the university’s web site at www.ohio.edu/performingarts/ .

The university’s Athens-based radio stations, WOUB-AM and -FM, and the public television station, WOUB-TV, provide entertaining and educational programming for the university and the community. To visit the WOUB web site, go to www.woub.org .

With the Heritage College’s presence in the Central Ohio area, students draw connection to the arts, entertainment, culture and community engagement opportunities that surround the campus within the City of Dublin and Greater Columbus . Students have additionally taken part in experiencing the community offerings of Worthington , Hilliard ,  German Village , and the Short North .

Within the city of Dublin exists the developed and growing Bridge Street District . As described by the city, the Bridge Street District is Dublin’s commitment to the future, offering a wide range of entertainment, dining, retail, parks, recreation, and housing opportunities for a young and diverse workforce.

Special events in Dublin range from the Dublin Irish Festival to the Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Golf Tournament. Dublin’s recreational programs and extensive parkland make it rich in both green space and leisure-time activities.

Cleveland, Ohio is home to Playhouse Square, the largest theater district in America outside of New York. It includes 10 performance spaces and a 20-foot tall, 8,500-pound crystal GE Chandelier. The University Circle neighborhood includes the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Cleveland Children’s Museum, the Cleveland Natural History Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a popular musical destination as well as over 20 other concert venues. Many festivals and events throughout the year showcase Cleveland’s rich cultural history and dedication to the arts. 

Heritage College Office of Student Affairs

The Office of Student Affairs at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine coordinates student records, government, programs, activities, and financial aid; academic support services; and multicultural affairs. Staff members in this office also handle registration of Heritage College students, enrollment rosters, academic tutoring, and coordination of Heritage College student employment. In-depth information relating to all of the above is available on the Heritage College web page at www.ohio.edu/medicine/about/offices/student-affairs/ . Policies and procedures for Heritage College students are published online in the Student Survival Manual by the Office of Student Affairs at the One-Stop HCOM Student Resource Website: ohio.edu/medicine/student-resources.

Ohio University’s Student Code of Conduct

The Dean of Students publishes an online code of conduct located at www.ohio.edu/student-affairs/community-standards/students/student-code-of-conduct . Among many topics, the document contains a section describing community expectations at Ohio University. It details a number of university policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, the student code of conduct, the university’s commitment to a just and diverse community, information on prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, a statement on sexual assault, and graduation and retention information. The Ohio University student web site www.ohio.edu/students provides links to online services that include web mail, and technical help. There are links to campus life and services that include community services, counseling services and support, as well as graduate and non-traditional services.

Student and Professional Organizations

Since the inaugural class was enrolled at Heritage College in 1976, several organizations have been established within the student body. The umbrella for these organizations is the Heritage College Student Government, which is charged with official representation of all predoctoral students. A list of Heritage College student organizations is available at  https://www.ohio.edu/medicine/about/offices/student-affairs/student-organizations . 

Students on the Dublin and Cleveland campuses are fully integrated in the college’s Student Government Association and work collaboratively when possible and separately when needed with a variety of student clubs and organizations.

Crime Awareness and Campus Security

The Ohio University Police Department (OUPD) may be reached at 740.593.1911, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

When OUPD becomes aware of a crime that could pose an ongoing threat to the safety of the campus community, a Campus Crime Alert is e-mailed to all “ohio.edu” e-mail addresses on the Athens campus. Crime Alerts can also be found online, along with other useful information about crime prevention, personal safety, and various campus resources, by visiting OUPD’s web site at www.ohio.edu/police . The site includes a link to crime statistics for all of OU’s campuses. 

In the event of an emergency which poses an imminent threat to the safety of the campus community, information is published online at www.ohio.edu/emergency and is broadcast via text message, e-mail, the outdoor emergency notification system and campus televisions connected to CATvision, among other means. Students must subscribe to the university’s emergency text-messaging service in order to receive text notifications. Follow the text messaging link from the emergency web site to sign up.

Dublin is recognized as one of the safest cities in central Ohio, with an average City of Dublin police response time of six minutes. The City’s internationally accredited police division keeps citizens involved and informed through programs like the neighborhood watch program, an early outdoor warning system and a computerized calling system that alerts residents to community concerns via phone. A 24 hour-per-day, 7 day-per-week unarmed security presence actively monitors all campus facilities and grounds on the Heritage Dublin Campus. T hrough active foot patrols and building presence, uniformed security personnel provide first response, prompt notification and documentation of reported campus incidents. Site officers actively maintain a security services front desk, and response to a central reporting phone line ( 614.499.5324) to ensure accessibility to campus constituents. After hours and weekend entrance to Dublin Campus facilities can be gained through use of exterior card access readers located at each Heritage College Dublin main entrance utilizing credentialed privileges found on issued Ohio University ID badges. Badges should additionally be worn and easily visible as a means of recognizable identification to security and college personnel.

Cleveland Clinic Police Department and Universal Protection Service are responsible for regular patrol of the Ohio University Heritage College Cleveland facilities and associated parking lots and the overall safety of students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Additionally, a  Universal Protection Service  Security Officer will be assigned to the lobby of the A building (Heritage College Cleveland entrance area), Monday through Friday, 6am-9pm  and will round with Heritage College Cleveland staff and patrol all floors regularly. Entrance doors to the Heritage College Cleveland facility will be locked down by Security during hours designated by Security. Students, faculty and staff desiring entrance after hours will enter the facility via the designated card access-controlled pedestrian door. Additionally, they will contact Security to advise them of the reason for their visit, the specific area they are visiting, the estimated time they will be in the facility  and then  call Security when departing. Badges should additionally be worn and easily visible as a means of recognizable identification to security and college personnel.