Medical Resources


MIT Medical Department

The MIT Medical Department, in the Health Services Center (E23), is a multi-specialty group practice which employs 23 full-time and 50 part-time physicians as well as other medical professionals. The Department's medical staff provides primary care in internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics. On campus, the Department also provides most medical specialties: a pharmacy, a full-time optometry service including contact lens services, and diagnostic testing facilities including a laboratory and an x-ray department. A dental service which offers treatment for students and their spouses is available on a fee-for-service basis.

All visits to the Medical Department are by appointment except in emergencies. The regular hours of the Department are from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, except for holidays. At all other times, emergency medical care is available through the MIT After Hours Service in E23. Telephone 253-1311 day or night for advice. House calls are not made, but if someone is too ill to come to the Health Services Center without assistance, notify the Medical Department and they will recommend suitable help, or call Campus Police for a ride.

Services provided by the Medical Department include:
Affiliate Health Program 3-4371
Neurology 3-4460
After-Hours Service 3-1311
Nutrition 3-1546
Allergy 3-4460
Obstetrics/Gynecology 3-1315
Audiology 3-7870
Orthopedics 3-2974
Claims and Member Services 3-5979
Patient Advocate 3-4976
Dental 3-1501
Patient Billing (Empl.) 3-4372
Dermatology 3-4295
Patient Billing (Stud.) 3-4303
Ear, Nose, Throat 3-7870
Pediatrics 3-1505
Executive Director 3-1774
Personal Assistance Program 3-4911
Eye 3-4351
Pharmacy 3-1324
Gastroenterology 3-1681
Podiatry 3-1681
Health Education 3-1316
Prescription Refill Line (24hrs.) 3-0202
Health Screening 3-1777
Psychiatry 3-2916
Hematology/Oncology 3-1681
Pulmonology 3-4355
Inpatient Service 3-5486
Social Work 3-4911
Internal Medicine 3-4481
Student Health Program 3-4371
Laboratory 3-4239
Surgery 3-1302
MIT Optical 8-5367
Urology 3-4356
Medical Director 3-4487
X-Ray/Mammography 3-4905
Medical Records 3-4906


The quality of care given at the Med Center is fairly high, despite a reputation for "They test you for pregnancy and mono, and if those are both negative they tell you it's nothing.'' If you are not happy with how you are treated, call the advocate at x3-4976.

A major goal of the Department is to make high quality medical care accessible to the entire MIT community. Members of the student community are assigned a personal physician whom they can consult whenever an illness, problem, or question arises. If the personal physician is not available and the need is urgent, the patient will be seen by another physician, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant, with subsequent referral if needed. In this way, patients who call or come to the Department for care are seen by a health professional on the same day.

An 18-bed Inpatient Service is operated by the Medical Department for patients who cannot be cared for at home but for whom hospitalization in a general hospital is inappropriate. Children are not admitted to the Inpatient Service but, if necessary, are referred to a nearby hospital offering pediatric care. Patients requiring major surgery or treatment for serious illness are sent to one of the Boston or Cambridge hospitals where their care is usually supervised by one of the Medical Department physicians or surgeons.

The Medical Department has a Health Education Office located in E23-205. The Resource Center offers free information on a variety of topics, including stress management, nutrition, AIDS, alcohol, and drugs. Students may discuss health concerns with a health educator privately either by appointment or during office hours.

Whether a patient will be billed directly for services at the Health Services Center depends on the health program in which the student, affiliate, or employee is enrolled. Most of the Medical Services provided on campus are available to students at no cost. Call patient billing (for students, x3-4303) if you have any questions about charges. The cost of off-campus medical care and hospitalization is extremely high in the Boston area. For this reason, it is extremely important that everyone maintain adequate health insurance. (See Health Insurance, below)

Brochures describing the Medical Department, the Student Health Program, the Affiliate Health Program, and the MIT Health Plans for employees are available in the Member Services Office (E23-191). Your questions or suggestions for improvement within the Department are always welcome and can be directed to any staff member or to the Patient Advocate (x3-4976).

Chief of Student Health, Dr. Mark Goldstein (E23-291, 3-4488), will help resolve medical administrative problems such as housing, diet, or other complaints about the service.

Clinics

Forsyth Dental Center (140 The Fenway, Boston, 262-5200; MBTA: Northeastern). Teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School, providing all types of surgical diagnostic services. Appointment-only outpatient clinic. 24-hour emergency ward. Sponsors ten neighborhood health clinics throughout the community.

Children's Hospital (300 Longwood Ave., Boston, 735-6000). Usually accepts patients up to age 21. General medical and surgical inpatient service, and extensive outpatient clinics. Handles everything from dental care to plastic surgery. 24-hour emergency service.

Mass. General Hospital (55 Fruit St., Boston, 726-2000; MBTA: Charles/MGH). Nearest hospital to MIT. General walk-in clinic Monday-Saturday, most clinics by appointment. Regular hospital facilities. 24-hour emergency care.

Mount Auburn Hospital (330 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge, 492-3500). General services, outpatient clinics, walk-ins accepted; 24-hour emergency, specialists on call.

Health Insurance

Along with the student health plan, students must purchase MIT insurance for outside hospitalization if not already covered by non-MIT insurance. Insurance coverage is also available for spouses and children of MIT students.

If you are trying to decide whether to buy the hospitalization insurance offered by MIT to supplement your family's policy, compare the benefits offered by both. The director of the MIT Medical Department, Dr. Arnold Weinberg, considers the MIT insurance the minimum you should have to meet the Massachusetts regulations and to cover the medical expenses reasonably expected. Questions regarding any facet of medical insurance can be directed to the MIT Health Plans Office (E23-308, x3-4371).

Faculty, staff, employees, and their families may be eligible for either the Traditional or Flexible MIT Health Plan. Both are a prepaid comprehensive programs of medical care. Medical services for the MIT Health Plans are provided by the MIT Medical Department. Outside hospitalization, apart from emergency care, is provided at the Mt. Auburn and Cambridge Hospitals; hospitalization for obstetric and gynecological reasons is provided at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, and for pediatrics at the Children's Hospital. If you are interested, you should call the MIT Health Plans Office at (E23-308, x3-4371).

Other faculty, staff, and employee benefits should be discussed with the Employee Benefits Office (E19-411, x3-0500).

Pediatric Services

The Medical Department's Pediatric Service (x3-1505), staffed by five pediatricians and a pediatric nurse practitioner, is available to the children of the students, faculty, staff, and employees. Some visits are covered by health insurance or an optional Child Health Fee, and some visits are on a fee-for-service basis.