One of most difficult and threatening circumstances is when international students have an acute sickness or physical crisis. One staff member received a call from a student friend who was in the emergency room at a hospital and thought he was dying. Turns out the student had a kidney stone, and it was the worst pain he had ever experienced. The staff member explained it all to him. The student was glad to learn he was not dying.
The attack for this student occurred when he was in Walmart, and he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The costs were astounding to him. One of the ways we can help students is to get them to appropriate care they can afford.
Some universities have an infirmary where students can go for free (as part of their student services fees). If specialists are required, they are scheduled either at the infirmary or in the physician’s office by contract with the school. Health insurance which students are required to buy is typically major-medical hospitalization insurance and of little value in routine matters. If the university does not have on-campus services, the next best thing is a nearby minor emergency clinic our urgent care clinic as a first place to start because the costs are so much less than an emergency room.
One of the key needs of many international students is dental care. One of the benefits of having a Friendship Partner who can act as an advocate is that they know local resources the student would not necessarily know about—like a dental school who needs folks to practice on and which offers free clinics. Sometimes charity organizations have clinics where there is no fee or just a small fee for services.
It is important to check with the universities’ international office to learn what medical resources are available and how to interface with those services. This subject may have been covered in the school’s orientation, but students may have missed out on the information.
Recovery and rehabilitation may be needed where the student needs to be near adults who care about them. Many of our staff have had students come and live in their homes while recovering from an illness or surgery. Often, a parent from their home country will come and stay with the student to help care for them.
Principles cited in this blog: Knowing the resources of the university plus any options the school provides is key to matching student needs to resources available locally.
Application for ISI ministry: Sometimes students need help and resources they do not possess, and which staff can help provide. Friendship Partners are a great resource here.
Next blog topic: How to help students with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Doug Shaw with Derrah Jackson
The attack for this student occurred when he was in Walmart, and he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The costs were astounding to him. One of the ways we can help students is to get them to appropriate care they can afford.
Some universities have an infirmary where students can go for free (as part of their student services fees). If specialists are required, they are scheduled either at the infirmary or in the physician’s office by contract with the school. Health insurance which students are required to buy is typically major-medical hospitalization insurance and of little value in routine matters. If the university does not have on-campus services, the next best thing is a nearby minor emergency clinic our urgent care clinic as a first place to start because the costs are so much less than an emergency room.
One of the key needs of many international students is dental care. One of the benefits of having a Friendship Partner who can act as an advocate is that they know local resources the student would not necessarily know about—like a dental school who needs folks to practice on and which offers free clinics. Sometimes charity organizations have clinics where there is no fee or just a small fee for services.
It is important to check with the universities’ international office to learn what medical resources are available and how to interface with those services. This subject may have been covered in the school’s orientation, but students may have missed out on the information.
Recovery and rehabilitation may be needed where the student needs to be near adults who care about them. Many of our staff have had students come and live in their homes while recovering from an illness or surgery. Often, a parent from their home country will come and stay with the student to help care for them.
Principles cited in this blog: Knowing the resources of the university plus any options the school provides is key to matching student needs to resources available locally.
Application for ISI ministry: Sometimes students need help and resources they do not possess, and which staff can help provide. Friendship Partners are a great resource here.
Next blog topic: How to help students with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Doug Shaw with Derrah Jackson
RSS Feed