2008 Woodie Awards
Health Services offers annual exams and birth control options
Amanda Delaney
Issue date: 8/22/05 Section: Feature
- Page 1 of 1
Cervical cancer and STDs are most commonly found in 18-25 year old women. According to Kirkwood Campus Nurse, Amy Ganske, it is important for women in this age group to start having an annual exam by the age of 18, checking for these health risks as well as others.
Kirkwood Community College and St. Luke's Hospital teamed up three years ago to provide a women's clinic to make annual exams available in the Campus Health office. "Other colleges and universities have programs and clinics for women, and I wanted to provide the same opportunity for our students as well," said Ganske.
The clinic will offer pelvic and pap exams, as well as STD tests and birth control. They offer many methods of birth control, including oral contraceptives, Depo-Provera shots and free pregnancy tests. Emergency contraception, also known as the "morning after pill" is also available. Although Ganske is not licensed to distribute this pill, a licensed nurse practitioner from St. Luke's can make the pill available the same day a student goes into the Campus Health office.
Although the services and birth control methods are not free of charge, they are based on a sliding scale fee depending on each student's income. "It usually ends up costing around $25 for an exam," said Ganske, "and birth control can cost anywhere from $5-13 a month," she said.
According to www.plannedparenthood.org, birth control can cost up to $125 a month outside the clinic.
Some may wonder why the health services department is not promoting abstinence instead of protected or "safe" sex. Ganske simply says that adults pretending college kids aren't having sex isn't realistic. Instead, it's important to offer different prophylactics to better serve students choices.
The Kirkwood campus in Iowa City will also be offering the same clinics in their new health services department this fall. Kirkwood has joined with Planned Parenthood of Iowa City to conduct the same clinics for women in Iowa City.
Clinic time spots are limited, so it's important to call ahead to either Cedar Rapids or Iowa City health services to make an appointment.
Kirkwood Community College and St. Luke's Hospital teamed up three years ago to provide a women's clinic to make annual exams available in the Campus Health office. "Other colleges and universities have programs and clinics for women, and I wanted to provide the same opportunity for our students as well," said Ganske.
The clinic will offer pelvic and pap exams, as well as STD tests and birth control. They offer many methods of birth control, including oral contraceptives, Depo-Provera shots and free pregnancy tests. Emergency contraception, also known as the "morning after pill" is also available. Although Ganske is not licensed to distribute this pill, a licensed nurse practitioner from St. Luke's can make the pill available the same day a student goes into the Campus Health office.
Although the services and birth control methods are not free of charge, they are based on a sliding scale fee depending on each student's income. "It usually ends up costing around $25 for an exam," said Ganske, "and birth control can cost anywhere from $5-13 a month," she said.
According to www.plannedparenthood.org, birth control can cost up to $125 a month outside the clinic.
Some may wonder why the health services department is not promoting abstinence instead of protected or "safe" sex. Ganske simply says that adults pretending college kids aren't having sex isn't realistic. Instead, it's important to offer different prophylactics to better serve students choices.
The Kirkwood campus in Iowa City will also be offering the same clinics in their new health services department this fall. Kirkwood has joined with Planned Parenthood of Iowa City to conduct the same clinics for women in Iowa City.
Clinic time spots are limited, so it's important to call ahead to either Cedar Rapids or Iowa City health services to make an appointment.