Have You Heard?

The Student Health Center will be closed for the morning of Wednesday, May 15th, due to a staff retreat. We will re-open with normal summer operating hours at 1:30 pm on 5/15.

Please call 919-681-9355 for health care options or nurse advice.

2013 Summer Clinic Hours

Effective 5/13/13 thru 8/18/13

Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri:   8:30am-4:30pm

Wed:   9:30am-4:30pm

No Weekend Clinic

After Hours: Please call 681-WELL (681-9355) for health care options or nurse advice.

Congratulations to all graduating students!

The Student Health Fee for Spring Semester 2013 EXPIRES at 5:00 pm on Friday, May 17th. This means that all Duke students who have paid the Spring Fee can continue to use the Student Health Center (SHC) through May 17th. Depending on your status at Duke, there are different rules that apply after that date. If you are:

Graduating on May 12th – After May 17th, you can no longer be seen as a patient at the SHC. You must find another source for health care. The only exception to this is if your SHC provider requests that you follow-up for a condition for which you were seen prior to May 17th.

Taking summer classes at Duke – Students who are taking summer classes pay the Summer Health Fee each term.

            Summer Term I                       May 15 – June 27                    $106.00

            Summer Term II                      July 1 – August 11                  $106.00

            Summer Term I and II             May 15 – August 11               $212.00

If you are taking classes for the first term or both terms, you can continue to use the SHC uninterrupted. If you are taking classes during the second term only, you must elect to pay the first term health fee to be allowed to use the SHC between May 17th and the start of the second summer term. Likewise, if you are only taking classes during the first term, you must elect to pay the second term health fee to continue to use the SHC throughout the whole summer.

Not taking classes, but staying in the area – Students who will return to Duke for Fall Semester but are not taking summer classes can elect to pay the Summer Health Fee, utilizing the SHC uninterrupted between Spring and Fall Semesters.

Prescriptions, Refills:

Prescriptions can be renewed at the discretion of the prescribing provider for up to 30 days after graduation (e.g. June 12, 2013). After June 12th, only returning students can have prescriptions written or phoned in by SHC providers.

Medical Records:

Students may request that copies of their records be forwarded to other providers. Appropriate release will be required. For more information, visit our website:  http://studentaffairs.duke.edu/studenthealth, click on Forms & Policies and look under the “Clinical Forms” section. Alternatively, you may call 681-WELL (681-9355) and press menu option 6.

SHAC Blog #1

I work in healthcare and spend much of my day talking about all things GYN related.

Is your pap smear up to date?
Have you been screened for STDs?
How are you liking your birth control pill?
Are you using condoms? Here, help yourself. Take the whole bowl if you want. Seriously.

You can’t have a conversation about sexual health without talking about relationships, so naturally I hear a lot of drama. I see a lot of tears and heartbreak. I go through boxes of Kleenex. How could he do this to me? What did I do wrong?!! If I hear the same scenario a couple of times in a year I wonder: Is this the same guy? Same story a few times, I wonder: is there more than one guy and did they share notes? If I hear the same set-up many times AND a similar thing happened to me when I was younger...I get angry like The Hulk. ENOUGH! This is where a time machine would come in handy - I'd zip my patient 10 years in the future so she could look back and see what a douchebag the guy is. So not worth her tears.

Here’s an example taken from the pages of my own history book: I met David sophomore year of college in a Psychology of Human Sexuality class. He was classic All-American: VERY handsome, confident, perfect hair, golden retriever at home, you get the picture. The kind of guy I never thought would be interested in me - I was cute but shy and hung out with an alternative crowd. We hooked up at a frat party (I went to a small liberal arts college where the only parties were frat parties so everybody went). We saw each other, locked eyes, and (fueled by alcohol) started dancing...then kissing a minute later.

Instant infatuation. Fireworks.

David did all the right things: cute notes on my door, dinner dates off-campus, cups of ice cream from the dining hall during late night study sessions...but if I’m honest, the alarm bells started ringing early on. He made fun of people’s bodies, at one point referring to the vagina as “an open axe wound”. We didn’t have much in common, so when we weren’t making out, we struggled to connect. He consistently referred to his ex-girlfriend as “The Devil”, and after a week of hooking up, he asked me to come home with him for Spring Break to meet his mother.

About three weeks in our kissing turned into groping and a fair bit of dry humping so we stopped to have the (awkward and brief) conversation about where this was going physically. Sexual histories, check (I'd slept with 3 people, he'd had one partner, his ex). Dates of our last STD tests, check, all clear. Our talk turned to likes, dislikes, and expectations, and this is when the red flags REALLY began to fly. Fifty screaming alarm bells were going off in my head that day, but hey, I was 19 and such a people pleasing approval junkie and still so amazed that this gorgeous boy was into me that I just ignored them. According to my crush: oral sex was gross, the thought of going down on a woman made him feel like vomiting, blow jobs didn’t feel good, missionary was his favorite sex position, and his ex always orgasmed after a few minutes.

Instead of running far FAR away, I slept with David that night. I thought: I can make this work! The hooking up has been phenomenal so far, I bet we’ll be great in bed. I was SO wrong, ladies. It could have won an award for the ABSOLUTE WORST SEX EVER. After a minute of awkward monotonous thrusting...in total silence...in the missionary position, David began to watch my face intently, clearly waiting for me to orgasm, When-Harry-Met-Sally style. The sex was so bad, I couldn't muster up the energy to fake it. He came into the condom and we lay there for a few minutes. Then a million questions. What’s wrong? What happened? Were you close? Didn't you like it? I lied and said yes, then went back to my dorm room to sleep. My infatuation started to die right then and there.

The next morning I wrote him a letter, saying that maybe we were moving too quickly and we should cool it on the sex front for a while. I wanted our magic back - to go back to the early days when we would kiss for hours and he would cup my face and groan because it was so good. I got an email back saying he was breaking up with me because clearly I “had some sexual issues and should see a doctor” (in case something was wrong with my vagina) AND a sex therapist (in case I was "frigid") and maybe we could get back together in a couple of months after I got things FIXED.

Motherfucker.

Within a week he was dating someone else and I started skipping my Psychology of Human Sexuality class. The irony.

Questions went round and round my head, chipping away at my already fragile self-image. WAS something wrong with my vagina? Should I seek help for my "issues"? Should I be able to orgasm in the missionary position? Is that what all the other girls can do? I was quick to take the blame for what happened. After all, David was the beautiful one, the “normal” guy. It didn't dawn on me until way later that maybe he was the one who was kinda fucked up and had some seriously screwy (s)expectations.

Take home lessons from this train-wreck of a romance:

#1: LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. Pay attention to those alarm bells. If it doesn't feel right, don't brush it off or assume you're being silly or stupid. Intuition is priceless. Honor it. Strengthen it. Let it save you from bad sex and shitty e-mail breakups.

#2: USE YOUR WORDS. During my pre-sex conversation with David, I could have said SO many things. The missionary position doesn't do shit for me! Blow jobs can be really hot! I don’t know of anyone who can cum in the missionary position! Your ex was faking it! Did I share any of this info with him? No. Why? I didn't want to hurt his feelings. Didn't want to challenge him. Didn't want him to lose interest. I kept my mouth shut. Did it help either one of us? It’s been over a decade and for all I know, David is still out there making fun of vaginas and subjecting countless unsuspecting women to terrible 2-minute sex. So SPEAK UP. BE BOLD! If your partner does something that feels good, say it. Throw your head back and SHOUT IT. If they start doing crazy jackhammer porn sex or in my case, silent awkward metronome sex and you hate it - tell them! Don't be afraid. If they are worth being in a relationship with, they will welcome your feedback.

Till next time, wishing you light, joy, and all things sexy -

The SHAC

Ever had those burning (no pun intended) questions about sex and relationships but were just too embarrassed to ask?! Well look no further! Starting March 1st the Sexual Health Advisory Committee (aka The SHAC) will be taking questions and responding to them via blog.  Send your questions about sexual norms, sexual health, relationship advice, sex taboos, figuring out how to know what you like/what works for you, or anything.  Expect the unexpected, the truth and sometimes a good laugh.  We want to answer your questions and make sure you’re getting credible, honest, transparent information from professionals right here on campus.

Send your questions, concerns, comments, inquiries, suggestions, and master plans to greatsexpectations@studentaffairs.duke.edu and check out the blog to see what comes up!!!

Weeklong Events:
Facts on the Quad, Featured Books in Perkins, Daily Tweets, & Photo Exhibit in the BC (Mon-Sun). Other events listed below.

Monday

• 11-1 Kick-off event - BC Plaza
  Freebies, event information, and a photo-op with “I am enough” temporary tattoos
• 11-1 Opening of Reflections: An Collective Personal Memoir on Disordered Eating - First Floor BC
  Produced by Taylor Turkeltaub, Photographed by Ashley Tsai, Sponsored by Duke Center for Eating Disorders, Modeled by real Duke students with real stories
• 5-7 Snack & Chat with Duke Student Health Dietitians - Marketplace
  Registered Dietitians from Student Health will be available to answer questions about healthy, balanced eating and will have some delicious energizing snacks

Tuesday

• 11-1 Snack & Chat with Duke Student Health Dietitians - Great Hall
  Registered Dietitians from Student Health will be available to answer questions about healthy, balanced eating and will have some delicious energizing snacks

Wednesday

• 4:30-9 Mirror, Mirror: Reflections on Body Image - Wilson Gym
  Help Group Fitness cover the mirrors in Studio A with affirmations as a reminder that being fit is more about feeling good than just looking good
• 8:30-10:30 MTV True Life: I Have an Eating Disorder - Soc Sci 139

Catered documentary screening & discussion, sponsored by the Women’s Center and Develle Dish

Thursday

• 7-9 When Eating and Body Issues Cross the Line – TBA
  Catered lecture & discussion by Dr. Nancy Zucker of Duke Center for Eating Disorders in collaboration with Duke Panhellenic Association

Friday

• 11-1 Develle Dish Plaza Party and Photoshop Interactive - BC Plaza
  Informationals, photoshop demonstrations, & performance from Me Too Monologues

Download full week's schedule.

“You can’t hate someone whose story you know,” wrote a Duke sophomore woman writing of her experience with being exposed to recent immigrants during an Alternative Fall Break experience she had last semester.  What she meant was that what she learned about these families who originated in countries other than the USA was that once you know their stories, you connect and you can longer live in the comfort of ignorance.

Hearing stories, gathering stories, sorting stories and assisting people in making sense of their stories is what I do at Duke essentially.  Stories of violence, yes, sexism, patriarchy, bullshit and triumph, always triumph of the human spirit, of the resiliency of women to thrive through oppression that comes in the form of sexual and physical violence from, predominantly, the men in their lives.  Not strangers, rarely even mild acquaintances, no….the “good guy” on their hall, in the band with them, in their selective living group, sitting next to them in political theory.

I am going to write something here that many of you reading will be offended by and immediately try to argue with me, but I ask that you ponder and consider the possibility that it might have some merit.

We don’t like adolescent girls and young women in our culture.  We don't.  We say we do.  But we don’t.  Here’s how I know this.  I was one.  And despite the fact that when I was younger, I was a LOT more socially acceptable, pleasant and conservative in presentation than I am now, I get MUCH more respect, am more believable and have much more control over my body than I did when I was 20.

Stop talking.  I challenge each of you to close your mouth and open your ears and ask a 18-22 year old female in your life this question: “what’s it like for you when you go dancing in a club?”  “What’s it like for you when you are walking out in public, from your car, to a store, for example.”  I can almost guarantee you that she will be confused and not be sure how to answer, much as the fish would not be sure how to describe water.  It is so much a part of young women’s experience to be harassed that they don’t even see it.  So, here’s what I do. 

I say to the women, if I went this Friday night with you and your friends to shooters and some guy came up to me and rubbed his penis on my ass, our touched my crotch with his hand or put his hands on my breasts, would that upset you?

First there’s a stunned look and I know what they are thinking….that would never happen to you because you are a middle aged woman.

So, I gently inform them that I look better now than I did when I was their age, my body is in better shape than it was then, given that I have had a good decade of yoga behind me (pun intended) and I say, remember, he is coming up from behind….he cannot see the wisdom in my face.  He assumes I am 20.

Okay, now they suspend their disbelief and become outraged.  “Yes, I would be very upset and probably tell him to get his fucking hands off you.” 

And I say “and if I went to the owner of the bar and told them what happened, do you think I would be believed and what do you think would happen to the boy?”

And I say “and when I reported it to the police, do you think they would believe me?”

Yes, they always say yes!

And I say “Why do I deserve more respect and am more valued and more credible than you?”

Age and race, that’s why.

I am a middle age white lady.  And sexual predators know that I am waaaaaaaaaay less vulnerable than my daughter and my nieces and the women at Duke.  They also think (and they are right) that I am much more likely than my younger sisters and daughters to use my loud middle aged voice and publicly hold them accountable because at 48 I am crystal fucking clear that I do not deserve to be treated like that.  That I do not in fact sign a piece of paper when I walk into a bar stating that I am public property and people may grope me at their will.

And people, this is how I know that public sexual assaults such as I am describing above are about power and not about desire.

Invite these beautiful women in your lives to notice the water and describe it to you. Be quiet and listen.  For when we listen to their stories, as my friend Jackie says, you cannot hate them.

John Vaughn has been named the new Director of Student Health for Duke University. Dr. Vaughn will begin his new role July 1.

"We interviewed a number of very qualified candidates for this critical position,” said Dean of Students and Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Sue Wasiolek, who oversees Student Health. “In addition to his passion for medicine and his wide range of experiences, his ability to communicate and collaborate with his patients and their families, his colleagues, and with the community really stood out during the selection process.”

Vaughn comes to Duke from the Ohio State University (OSU), where he served in both Student Health Services and the Department of Family Medicine since 2007. In addition to providing primary health care to undergraduate and graduate students, he designed innovative health promotion activities that integrated health services into the life of the university community; enhanced organizational effectiveness for the health center; and developed a Narrative Medicine curriculum across multiple areas of OSU.

“At Ohio State Student Health Services, I had the opportunity to work at the intersection of patient care, education and health information technology,” said Vaughn. “One of my goals as Director of Student Health at Duke is to use my creativity, knowledge and experience to build upon these accomplishments and expand their positive impact to the larger business, academic and professional communities.” 

Vaughn served his family practice residency at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He received his Doctor of Medicine from OSU in 1997, where he also did received his BA in English Literature in 1993. He is currently the chair elect of the clinical medicine section of the American College Health Association, chair of the social networking subcommittee of the Council of Scientific Editors, executive editor of the Journal of American College Health, among other roles in the medical community. His professional memberships include the Council of Scientific Editors, the American College Health Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Cases of flu have been reported on campus. The flu can be spread person-to-person mainly through droplets from coughs, sneezes or talking, or by touching an object recently touched by someone with the flu. In addition, noroviruses have been reported in the Durham community. These are highly contagious, are found in stool or vomit, and can be transmitted through direct contact with a person with a norovirus, through contaminated food or drink, and by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face.

Any students with concerns about symptoms should contact studentaffairs.duke.edu/studenthealth. If you need help, please contact a friend, an RA, or studentaffairs.duke.edu/dukereach.

The Flu
The spread of the flu has become a national story. While cases in North Carolina are actually on the decline, the flu season typically runs through February, and we must still be diligent about controlling the spread of the flu.

Anyone with flu symptoms, including a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle, body or headaches, fatigue or GI symptoms, should not report to work or class until they are fever free for 24 without fever-suppressing medication.

Students can receive a free vaccination on Tuesday, January 15 from 6-8 pm in the Great Hall, or may contact Student Health Center to set up an appointment for a free shot.

Norovirus
Noroviruses are highly contagious and are characterized by acute vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and some stomach cramping for a period of one to three days. Some people may also have a low fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and a general sense of tiredness. Dehydration is the most common complication and may require intravenous replacement fluids in at-risk persons.

After conferring with a medical provider, students with norovirus symptoms should remain in their rooms and minimize contact with others to limit the spread of the virus until symptom-free for 24 hours.

Stay healthy by practicing these simple steps:

• Wash your hands.  Washing hands often with soap and water is the best preventative measure you can take.  Alcohol-based hand cleaners will help protect against flu, but are ineffective against noroviruses.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  Throw the tissue in the trash immediately after use.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth.  Germs are often spread when you touch something contaminated with germs and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Stay home when you're sick.  You will help prevent others from getting sick.

Best wishes,
Kimberly Yarnall, M.D.
Medical Director, Duke Student Health

This blog is brought to you by Caroline Conklin ('15), a current DUWELL intern.

It’s that time of year again- finals week. We all know it’s coming but somehow it always creeps up on us. Here are a few tips to help you stay relaxed during this stressful time:

Find your go-to spot: 
Duke’s campus has plenty of options for study areas. Distractions are everywhere, so find a place on a campus where you know you’ll be focused and have the least amount of distractions. Perkins, the Link, Bostock, Lily, and von der Heyden are some of the library options for a quiet peaceful study place. Great Hall and Marketplace are great options for those who want a bit of background noise but can still get work done. The Oasis in Belltower and DUWELL under the East Campus coffee shop are both very calming environments. Come swing by and say hi to us, grab a seat and study! Going off campus to a bookstore or a coffee shop are always nice options too if they are easily accessible to you.

Go ahead, take a break:
 Studying for an extended amount of time can have a major strain on your brain and focus. We all can go a bit study crazy! Take breaks so your brain can retain the information you studied. Head to Brodie or Wilson for a quick workout, watch a bit of TV on Hulu, or just simply go outside for a bit and walk around our beautiful campus.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day:  
On the day of your final exam, make sure to eat a good breakfast so that you are alert and awake. Without any food in your system you will become focused on your hunger and not your exam! Grabbing a coffee around finals is common, but be careful, moderation is key! Check out this article about caffeine and study habits. To go along with the food and drink theme…stay away from going out and drinking days before your exam, alcohol can still have negative effects days later.

Catch your Z’s: 
When you don’t get at least six hours of sleep, your mind tends to lose focus, which is not something you want during a final. Make sure you have time to sleep so your mind can retain the information you studied and increase your focus!

Utilize the “reading days”: 
Three days off of class?? Awesome! Students need to take advantage of these free days called “reading days”. Create a schedule for these three days. For example: what subject you’ll study each day and what hours you will be working on a specific class for. Scheduling a workout and a little break here and there are also a good things. This will help you stay organized and on-track.

Come swing by DUWELL’s study hours!!                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
WHEN: December 10th, 11th, AND 12th: 9pm-12am


WHERE: @ Duke Student Wellness Center (under the coffeehouse on East Campus)


We will have FREE FOOD and study break activities throughout the whole night!!! We would love you to join us