Transparency item: All reporting was done over email since the Student Health Center only allowed written interviews.
The Student Health Center is an on-campus care facility specifically for students, that offers services similar to a family physician’s office.
Visiting a medical office can be an intimidating experience, especially for students walking in for the first time and not knowing what to expect. The members of SHC are working to inform students aboutthe services that the SHC offers, the members of SHC wrote.
“We are always willing to advocate for our patients and their health,” SHC registered nurse Thomas Eicher wrote.
In November, Lauren Greenman will have worked as a physician assistant at the Student Health Center for four years. Greenman and her husband moved to Malibu after he was accepted into Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Greenman wrote in a Sept. 12 email to the Graphic
Greenman was optimistic about working at the SHC when her husband was accepted into Caruso, she said. The Monday that Greenman’s husband accepted his scholarship to Pepperdine, a job to hire a physician assistant was posted on SHC’s website, Greenman wrote.
“It was meant to be,” Greenman wrote.
Meet four of the caring SHC members. The SHC is open Monday – Friday and is located at the SAC stop on the campus shuttle’s Orange Line
Eicher has worked as a registered nurse for the past nine months at the SHC, Eicher wrote in a Sept. 12 email to the Graphic. His appreciation for medicine and applied health is what led him to become a nurse; he enjoys sharing his faith with patients to bring comfort when needed.
“The Student Health Center curates an environment that allows students to readily access healthcare with medicine and education,” Eicher wrote.
It’s important to approach a student’s health concerns with curiosity, Greenman wrote. When it comes to health, it can be difficult for students to verbalize what exactly is going on and how they’re feeling, Greenman wrote.
The life event that impacted Greenman’s decision to become a physician assistant was her younger brother’s hospitalization, which lasted an extended period of time.
“It was from that experience that I realized the impact medicine can have not only on one person but an entire family,” Greenman wrote.
Walking into a doctor’s office can be intimidating. How one is feeling is not always the easiest thing to communicate, Greenman wrote.
Kollerbohm’s favorite part about working at the health center for the past seven years has been the opportunity to coach students through how to use their healthcare plans, Andrea Kollerbohm, an insurance coordinator, wrote in a Sept. 12 email to the Graphic. Kollerbohm wrotechoosing and using a health care plan is “a life skill.”
The staff at SHC is working toward “providing excellent care for our student community here at Pepperdine,” Kollerbohm wrote.
Katherine McCune is a registered dietitian/nutritionist, who has been at SHC for 26 years. She wrote this career choice is a great fit because she loves food, gardening and helping people, McCune wrote in a Sept. 12 email to the Graphic.
She encourages any students curious about making an appointment with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to fill out the Nutrition Intake Questionnaire, which can be located on the patient portal, McCune wrote. This is a great way to begin thinking about any potential changes students want to adopt prior to meeting with a dietitian, McCune wrote.
Once the questionnaire is completed, McCune can begin developing a personalized nutrition plan that is based on students’ specific medical conditions, dietary preferences and nutritional needs, McCune wrote.
“While my most common practice is to advise each student individually and personally, perhaps the next most common advice is that food is to be enjoyed, McCune wrote.
There is no such thing as the perfect diet. McCune wrote she doesn’t want students to feel like they need to become the “perfect eater” to achieve their health goals.
Any students contemplating whether they should meet with a nutritionist should try it because they’ll only learn more about themselves in the process, McCune wrote. Her services are free of charge as part of the Thrive Wellness Program. Thrive offers medical resources, mental health counseling, recreation and a student care team.
“My policy is to meet students where they are and to provide them with weekly nutrition recommendations,” McCune wrote.
Students aren’t alone in answering their nutrition questions, needs and ideas for application with McCune by their side. If students have questions about navigating the dining services, digestive problems, nutrition assessments or guidance on weight gain or loss, McCane wants to help.
SHC’s schedule is Monday – Friday 8 a.m., to 5 p.m., and it is closed Friday-Sunday. Students should call 911 if they are experiencing an emergency. Outside of SHC hours, students should visit the TimelyCare platform or visit SHC’s website for nearby emergency rooms and urgent care
The shuttle stops closest to the SHC-AH are located next to the CCB and the Caruso School of Law. Students can take the Orange Line Campus Shuttle to the SAC stop.
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Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic
Email Rachel Flynn: rachel.flynn@pepperdine.edu
