College Health Sites

Have you ever considered working at a local college or university in their health center?

College Health combines urgent care, primary care, and behavioral health services into one, caring for both student and faculty/staff populations. Common ailments seen in college health clinics include URIs, UTIs, STIs, GI symptoms, headaches, anxiety/depression, lacerations, burns, foreign bodies, ocular concerns, rashes, musculoskeletal injuries, birth control and pregnancy care, and many more. Patient education is highlighted in this field where you can really empower this predominantly young adult patient population, and there is opportunity to build relationships with some patients, while serving as the provider to treat acute issues only in others.

Some benefits of working in college health may not necessarily be the money, but these types of clinics often offer "family-friendly" work hours, sometimes 9-month contracts with summers off or reduced hours/volumes during summer months, potentially extended holiday breaks, and a lot of autonomy.

One potential challenge currently for PAs in the college health realm is that depending on state legislature, there may not be a supervising/collaborating physician on staff which may lead them to only hire Nurse Practitioners. Another reason to join your state PA organization to lobby for removal of these barriers!

Did we pique your interest? Explore College Health listings here through the American College Health Association (ACHA).

Do you have further questions about working as a PA in the college health sector? Reach out using the "Get In Touch" box below!