The Skillern Student Union, the "stress reduction center" on the Medical Center campus, houses the Office of Student Activities. The mission of the Union Building and Student Activities is to offer a variety of quality leisure experiences that act as a diversion from the inevitable stresses associated with the Medical Center environment. The varied programs and services offered through Student Activities are as diverse as its clientele. These activities are organized and administered in a manner that is intended to provide a recreational break from academic pursuits, improve physical health, and develop skills and interests that contribute to healthy lifestyles. Recreational activities are planned to encourage the development of healthy lifestyles outside the classroom, laboratory, hospital or office.

The Student Union is composed of a game room, multi-purpose room, weight room, and kitchen. The weight room located in the SUB is comprised of free weights and cardiovascular equipment such as stairmasters and lifecycles. Aerobic, yoga, and martial arts classes are offered weekdays for a minimal charge.

Student Activities offers to athletes and non-athletes a comprehensive intramural sports program. We encourage participation from anyone who wishes to engage in wholesome fun and meet new friends. Leagues are provided for competitive teams as well as social teams. Team sports include: softball (Co-IM), volleyball (Co-IM), and basketball (Men's and Co-IM). Individual and dual sports include: pool, tennis, table tennis, etc. Division levels are provided in all individual/dual sports. Each fall and spring, Student Activities offers a month long fitness program to help encourage the medical community to get started on an exercise program.

The Skillern Student Union sponsors several social functions each year such as Oktoberfest and Spring Fling. And on occasion, one might be able to find a pizza luncheon or ice cream social. Student ID's are required for admission.

Other services provided by the SUB include, but are not limited to, outdoor recreation equipment check-out (no charge to students), athletic equipment (e.g., footballs, softballs, basketballs), table games, horseshoes, party "stuff", and on occasion free tickets to varied events in Dallas such as the symphony. Student Activities also provides discount tickets for various Dallas attractions and special events, as well as discount coupons for several theme parks.

Lockers are available for rental in the Skillern Student Union, and the F building. Prices vary. Storage of "anything" related to anatomy MUST be stored in the F building and not in the SUB.

Tennis reservations are not required, but highly advised. Reservations are limited to 1½ hour slots. Reservations may only be made one day in advance.

Building hours: Monday - Friday 7am - 10pm
Saturday - Sunday Noon - 10pm
Office hours: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 10pm
Saturday - Sunday Noon - 10pm

Student ID cards are required for use of all facilities and equipment check-out.

All of the above and more is done with remarkable pizzazz thanks to the helpful, dedicated and at times pleasant staff.

The telephone number is 214-648-3578 and the web site is located at www.utsouthwestern.edu/sub.

A significant percentage of practicing physicians will become impaired during their careers due to alcohol, substance abuse, or psychiatric disorders. Often, the onset of this impairment can occur during medical school.

The Student Assistance Committee (SAC) of Southwestern Medical School has been established based on the following premises:

1. Chemical dependency and psychiatric disorders are treatable conditions.
2. Impaired medical students have a responsibility to themselves, the medical profession, and society to recognize and seek assistance in combating impairment. If such students are unable or unwilling to seek assistance, fellow medical students, faculty, and significant others have a responsibility to recognize impaired individuals and to assist them in obtaining the most competent and effective treatment available.
3. An institution responsible for training physicians should encourage and facilitate the recognition, treatment, and rehabilitation of impaired medical students.

The purpose of SAC is to play an advocacy role in getting a student to the point of recovery. Toward this end, the committee will support and monitor a student's progress through a recovery program. It will also consult with individuals concerned about a possibly impaired student. SAC is dedicated to assisting students in obtaining help while continuing their medical education, with the fewest possible restrictions and without stigma upon recovery.

SAC is very aware that its ultimate success depends upon student trust and confidence. A breach in confidentiality would compromise these attitudes, rendering the committee ineffective. With this in mind, the committee is designed to protect both the impaired student and those who share their concerns about a possibly impaired student. The identity of a medical student, or a concerned informant, will be held in confidence. The committee will deviate from confidentiality only in those very rare cases when all efforts to assist an impaired student have failed, or when there is concern that the physical well-being of patients may otherwise be endangered.

The current Southwestern Medical School SAC members are:

Dennis Dalton, M.D., Chairperson (214) 691-0775
Carole Mendelson, Ph.D. (214) 648-2944
George Ordway, Ph.D. (214) 648-2544
John Sadler, M.D. (214) 648-4959

The committee may be accessed by contacting any one of its members.

Located on the 8th floor of the Aston Center Outpatient clinic building. The staff is comprised of a Nurse Practitioner, Bertha Farrington, Director of Student Health Services, and a secretary, Nedra Early. Faculty back-up is provided by the Division of General Internal Medicine on an Aas needed@ basis.

The hours for service by appointment are Monday - Friday, 8am to 4pm.

Please provide 24-48 hours advance notice if possible as Medical Records are not housed within the clinic.

Minor Emergencies: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Emergencies:  Go to the nearest (or) the emergency room of your choice.

The Student Health Office is funded by 1/3 of the Student Activity Fee and covers services performed within the clinic. However, charges are made for all ancillary services (x-rays, lab procedures, etc.), pharmacy and referrals to subspecialty areas.

Office number: 214-648-3320.

Located with the Student Health Service, Student Mental Health functions by appointment only. Call 648-2612 for an appointment.

Located in the AS@ building or reached by dialing 648-2081, the university police will escort you to your car after dark, start your car if your battery is dead, perhaps be able to retrieve your keys when they are locked inside your car, loan you a marking pen for your important stuff, provide you with crime statistics and advice, and do it all while keeping us safe.

See famous surgeons buy Snicker's bars! See Nobel prize winners buy Cheetos! All of this and more is in the University Store located next to the cafeteria. In the store you can purchase such things as:

Course packs and syllabi for your courses, notebooks, pens, junk food, magazines, USMLE review books, ACLS book, books from the New York Times best seller list, lab coats, stethoscopes, diagnostic sets, dissecting instruments, batteries, (pretty expensive) UT Southwestern attire, Hallmark greeting cards, name tags, computers (good prices), software, discount tickets to Six Flags, Fiesta Texas, Cinemark, General Cinema and AMC theaters.

You can rent pagers.

Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Cash, and Checks accepted (for the amount of the purchase).

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