Transportation
Via trans
Bus route, schedule information and customer comments, (210) 362-2020

Shopping Malls
Westlakes Mall
Ingram Park Mall
North Star Mall
Rolling Oaks Mall
North Star Mall
RiverCenter Mall

Banking
One important tip to keep in mind is - to establish a bank account early. You must be able to write several checks for tuition, fees, parking fee, etc. at the time of registration.

Pet Care
Laboratory Animal Resources (at UTHSCSA) offers veterinary services for pets of faculty, staff and students. A veterinarian is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You are required to bring your pet before 9 a.m. and leave it for the vet to see during the day. Payment is required at time of service. Call (210) 567-6166 for information.

Locating the Health Science Center

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, is in the South Texas Medical Center, 12 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio. The central campus is bordered by Babcock Road, Merton Minter Boulevard and Floyd Curl, Louis Pasteur, and Medical drives.

Driving Directions
From Interstate 10:
Exit at Wurzbach and turn left on Wurzbach. Turn right onto Floyd Curl. The McDermott Building (brown color) is on the left side. Our address is 8403 Floyd Curl Drive. Our phone # is 210-567-8355.

Facilities
The Clinical Pharmacy offices are located on the third floor of the McDermott Clinical Sciences Building.

Reception Desk with Sylvia White

Multimedia Classroom

Computer Lab for Student Use

Student Lounge

Parking Information

Bicycles
Bikes must be registered with the University Police. Permits are $12.00 per year. There are bike racks nestled in a corner of the Student Services Building, along the sidewalk running from the parking lot between the building and the medical school lecture halls, outside the gross anatomy lab and elsewhere on campus.

Motorcycles
Like the bike racks, motorcycle parking is considerably closer to the lecture halls than most of the parking spots that are made available to the students. There is a monthly permit fee of $4.00. Again, these permits must be obtained from the University Police.

Cars
Currently, students park in various different zones on campus depending on how much they were willing to pay for their parking spot. The prices for permits can range from $48.00 a year for an unreserved off-campus lot with shuttle service to $480.00 a year for a reserved garage space right next to the auditorium. Spaces are available on a limited basis as most are already taken by current students and employees. You may have to put your name on a waiting list and park at an off-campus lot and take the shuttle to classes. Tickets are given by REAL police officers and will go on your permanent driving record, exactly the same as if you received one from a city or state police officer. So you'll HAVE to pay them off eventually or you won't be allowed to graduate. Period.

Be aware to abide by the speed limits set on campus, which are 15 mph. The University Police have been known to delve out tickets to anyone driving a few m.p.h. over the speed limit. They now have radar guns also.

After hours note: Students are allowed to park anywhere (except in handicapped spaces and reserved parking spaces in the garages) on campus after 5 p.m. on the weekdays and all day on the weekends. Sometimes the University police will hassle you if you don't have a valid permit. Just show your student I.D. and tell them you are going to the library to study and you should have minimal problems. If you are coming to campus after hours (especially to study in the gross labs), feel free to use the gated access located on the street adjacent to the dental school. The gate requires your I.D. to enter.

Bookstore

The bookstore is located on the first floor of the Nursing Parking Garage. It carries the required textbooks, review books, office and computer supplies, candy, snacks, aspirin, cough drops, university logo clothing and gift items, greeting cards, etc. It is here that you will buy your medical instruments when you first get here. The ladies there are very helpful. Any time you have a problem with your equipment, they will take care of replacing it or getting it fixed. Gifts include greeting cards, picture frames, calendars, T-shirts, etc. Supplies include scrubs, dissecting kits, stethoscope, dental resin teeth, pens, etc.

There are online sites where you may be able to buy the required textbooks without paying tax. Sometimes (especially at the beginning of school) these sites will have specials where shipping is free as well. Ask any upperclass stduent about this option for buying books.

http://www.medbookstore.com
http://www.discountmedicalbooks.com
http://www.buy.com
http://www.amazon.com

Also, check Half Price Books (corner of Huebner & IH10) for used textbooks.

AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES ON AFFILIATED CAMPUS

Briscoe Library

One of the best biomedical libraries in the state, the mission statement for the library says it all:
The mission of the UTHSCSA Libraries (Briscoe & Brady Green) is to advance the teaching, research, patient care and service programs of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the health care programs of South Texas by providing library services and access to biomedical information fundamental to maintaining health and treating and preventing disease.
The library has vast electronic resources available over the Internet. You can browse the site to get a feel for the extent of resources that are available at http://www.library.uthscsa.edu/

San Antonio Public Libraries

Locations (nearest library to the Medical Center)
Oakwell Library, 4134 Harry Wurzbach Rd., (210) 828-2569 - Closed Sunday
Reagan High School Public Library, 20730 Huebner Road, (210) 482-2200 ext. 370
Great Northwest Library, 9050 Wellwood St., (210) 684-5251
Forest Hills Library, 5245 Ingram Road, (210) 431-2544
Cody Library, 11441 Vance Jackson Rd., (210) 696-6396

Health Care

Student Health Service is located in UPG Diagnostic Pavilion at 4657 Medical Drive (directly across the street from the University Hospital main entrance drive). Call the OFFICE (for information and to schedule appointments): 592-0150.

Students enrolled at UTHSCSA are eligible to receive certain health care services in the University Student Health Clinic. The Student Health Clinic is funded by the student service fee, which is paid at registration. The fee covers the costs of the following services provided only at the Student Health Clinic.

Outpatient evaluation for illness or injury
Routine physical examination
Contraceptive counseling
Limited diagnostic testing
Annual tuberculosis screening

The Student Health Service is staffed by qualified health providers. Clinic hours are from 8:30 - 4:30, Monday through Friday. Appointments are necessary and can be scheduled by calling 592-0150.

Health Insurance

As a pharmacy student you may want to purchase health insurance as the student health clinic is limited in its services. There are a number of options available to the student. For example, the University of Texas System has contracted for the MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company's student health insurance policy. MEGA Life brochures are available in the Student Services office, or you can call MEGA Life directly and they will mail a copy along with an application form. Other options include plans endorsed by the Texas Medical Association (TMA) and the American Medical Association. Additionally, most insurance companies offer student insurance plans. We would encourage you to do some research prior to starting school so that this is one less thing you have to worry about as the world of health insurance can become quite complicated and overwhelming. Each individual has different health care needs, and therefore some plans may be more (or less) appropriate depending on your circumstances. Some questions you may want to have in mind when researching which health insurance plan is right for you include:

1. Is there a deductible and how much is it? (Some plans offer lower premiums for higher deductibles.)
2. How much is the co-pay for preferred providers vs. providers out of their network?
3. Are any basic preventive health services covered? (health screenings, immunizations, etc.)
4. What pharmacy benefits are available?
5. Does the plan cover maternity costs?
6. How extensive is their preferred provider network?
7. Is there a maximum benefit and, if so, what is it?
8. Are there maximum benefits for Lab, Radiology, Ambulance, and/or Emergency Room services?

Listed below are some sample rates from MEGA Life. These rates were for the 2000-2001 school year and are subject to change. Please note that many insurers have more than one plan to choose from depending on how much of a deductible, co-pay and maximum allowable benefit you want. Additionally, other factors may affect your rates such as your age, and previous medical history.

MEGA Life (1-800-767-0700)

Our goal here is just to give you some insight as to what to expect with regard to student health insurance, however, every situation is unique and only you can decide what is right for you with regard to your health care needs.

Dental Care

It is recommended that you find a private dentist in the community for routine dental care. The UTHSCSA Outpatient Clinic of the Dental School offers inexpensive care for anyone accepted through a screening process as a patient having a condition valuable for teaching purposes. The patient must have considerable time to devote to each appointment. If you can make it during clinic hours, you can have preventive care performed in the Dental Hygiene Clinic for a charge. Acute or emergency care in the Dental Clinic is offered on a first-come, first-served basis for 10 patients each day. For information, call 567-3222.

UTHSCSA Recreational Facilities

The Health Science Center has a weight & fitness room that is free and open 24 hours a day to all students (You'll need your student ID to get in). Outside, a half-mile track circles a softball field with basketball, sand volleyball, and tennis courts adjacent. Reservations and information for sport facilities and equipment check-out can be obtained by calling The Sports Coordinator at 567-5220. The tennis courts reservation sign-up sheet is kept on a bulletin board inside the UTHSCSA Campus Police Office.

Intramural sports are a great way to build camaraderie among your classmates, as well as relax after a rough day. Teams are organized in various classes and schools to compete in softball, volleyball, tennis, basketball, flag football, Ping-Pong, and foosball. All league sports have men's and coed teams. Impartial umpires are provided for softball. The cost ranges from $5-10 per player and team registration will be announced during the first month of school. Sign up sheets are available at the Student Services Office. Remember, do not wait for someone else to organize a team!! If you want to play, take the initiative! However, the Recreation Office will help find you a team if you do not already have one.

The Recreation office also hires student assistants throughout the year to work with our intramural sports programs. For further information, contact the Sports Coordinator, 567-5220

Health Clubs and Local Gyms
Professional school can be very stressful, and exercise can be a great release. There are local gyms that might fit your needs. Keep in mind that many prices are negotiable, and group discounts and student discounts are available. Waiting until school starts and then signing up with a group of classmates can bring the price into the affordable range for even the most pricey clubs. Also, some clubs offer free child care and free personal training. A gym can be a great way to meet people outside of your class!

Golf
The good news is that over the past few years, a number of challenging golf courses have been built in San Antonio and the surrounding area. These courses charge from $50 to $100 per person, but most of the courses offer twilight rates ($40-60) after we switch to daylight savings time. Also, during the winter, some of these courses offer reduced rates as well.

According to the city, if you live here for eight months, you can apply for a city card that allows you to play the munis with a cart for around twenty dollars. You just take a copy of you electricity bill to the course as proof. Some students may try circumventing this

26 Sept 2007
College of Pharmacy at UT Austin
Comments to: pharmacy@www.utexas.edu