Last Wednesday night, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) hosted Dr. Birgit Pols, director of Heath Services, for a conversation about the current state of the College’s Health Center.
When asked by BSG President Chris Breen ’15 about her own views on the decision to not change the Health Center’s structure, Pols said that Bowdoin’s current system offers the benefit of a staff that is “specifically trained and specifically looking out for the issues that affect college students.” She also highlighted student privacy and close relationships with the athletics programs as additional benefits of having in-house Health Center staff.
BSG representatives weighed in with their own thoughts about improving the Health Center. Vice President for Facilities and Sustainability Bridgett McCoy ’15 asked about the possibility of having an electronic check-in so students could preserve privacy, not announcing their reason for checking in to the whole waiting room. Pols responded that a system of online check-in and appointment scheduling was incompatible with the Health Center’s current electronic records system.
Addressing the concern of At-Large-Rep Josh Raff ’15 that there seemed to be fewer chances to get flu shots this year than in the past, Pols informed the assembly that the Health Center has been operating this semester down one nursing staff position and one health care provider. Health Services is currently in the process of hiring replacements.
Following Pols’ departure, Breen urged BSG members to start thinking about ways to improve this year’s Winter Weekend to be held from February 6-8.