Get answers to the most common questions about Health & Wellness at the University of Toronto. If you have a question that’s not answered here, you can call the centre at 416-978-8030 or email hwc.info@utoronto.ca
Making an Appointment
If you are already a patient of the Health & Wellness Centre, you can easily make an appointment by calling the Centre at 416-978-8030 and selecting ext. 2 for the medical clinic and 5 for the mental health clinic. You can book appointments through Medeo, but only for appointments in the medical clinic.
If you are not yet a patient, you will first need to register with the Health & Wellness Centre by calling 416-978-8030 and selecting ext. 2 for the medical clinic or 5 for the mental health clinic. A member of our administrative team will register you as a new patient and provide you with our Registration Package to complete. Once this is submitted, you can reconnect and schedule your first appointment.
We get a lot of calls from students booking appointments and do our best to be quick, comprehensive and compassionate. To reduce the waiting time to speak with a member of our administrative team, there are some days and times when we generally receive fewer calls and can attend to each student request quicker.
- Tuesdays from 2 – 4:30 p.m.
- Wednesdays from 2 – 4:30 p.m.
- Thursdays from 12 – 4:30 p.m.
- Fridays from 12 – 2 p.m.
Our phone lines tend to be busiest on:
- Mondays to Fridays from 9 – 10 a.m. (medical clinic)
- Mondays to Fridays from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (mental health clinic)
- Fridays from 2 – 4:30 p.m.
Both our medical and mental health clinics have many clinicians who can support you. In our medical clinic, you can make appointments with your family doctor, as well as nurses and dieticians (with a referral). In our mental health clinic, doctors, psychologists, social workers, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, mental health nurses and wellness navigation advisors are available to support you. Both clinics are also staffed by a team of administrative professionals who help ensure your appointments suit your schedule and that you have all the information you need before each appointment.
Our peer support service is drop in, so no appointments are needed. You can just knock on their door at any of their three on-campus locations or drop into the peer support dedicated Zoom room Wednesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a peer supporter will be happy to talk to you. Peer supporters are a diverse group of upper year students or masters students who are very familiar with U of T. They can talk about concerns like navigating academic and personal life, relationship issues, conflicts, and coping with stress and help you navigate different resources on- and off-campus. Note, peer support does not operate in the summer. Learn more about the Peer Support Service.
We can only book appointments with patients directly. If you are booking an appointment for a friend or relative, please have them contact the clinic directly at 416-978-8030, ext. 2 for medical clinic, ext. 5 for mental health clinic.
Your appointment reminders will be sent to your @mail.utoronto.ca email address. You will not receive an appointment reminder for same day or next-day appointments.
Not all types of appointments are logged in Medeo. For example, same-day counselling appointments won’t show up in Medeo. If you are unsure of the date and time of your next appointment, we encourage you to call the clinic and our administrative team will gladly assist you.
Wait Times and Eligibility
Appointments in the medical clinic are usually booked within 1-2 weeks for most doctors. However, we prioritize some appointments based on urgency, rather than offering all appointments on a first come first served basis. When you call to book an appointment, reception will ask the reason for your visit, so that we can prioritize you if there is a more urgent issue.
We also have a same-day medical clinic for more time-sensitive issues, such as fever, cough, nausea, pain, injury, ear and eye concerns. The clinic operates every weekday afternoon, with appointments booked in the morning, to help ensure timely access for urgent issues.
We match each student to a family doctor because having a relationship with one physician leads to better quality of care and better health outcomes. The doctors at the Health & Wellness Centre are usually here part-time with other commitments in hospitals and community health centres. Due to their schedules, our family doctors can only make appointments with their patients on the days they are at the Health & Wellness Centre.
We can only provide services to currently registered U of T students. Our eligibility policy outlines who we can provide service to and what exceptions may be considered. If you need to access a medical clinic in the community, you can find one at iamsick.ca.
Changing Your Provider
If you feel your current care provider just isn’t right for you, you can request a change of provider.
We encourage you to first discuss your concerns with your care provider, who are open to feedback.
However, if you would like to proceed with changing your provider, we have a process to facilitate that transition:
- You can call Health & Wellness at 416-978-8030 ext. 5 (mental health services), or ext. 2 (medical services)
- You can email Health & Wellness at info.hwc@utoronto.ca.
Once we receive your request, we will review it carefully. In most cases, someone other than your current family doctor will meet with you to understand your concerns so they can match you with a provider who will be a better fit.
The care or service you are receiving will not be negatively affected in any way.
Our counsellors work on a one-at-a-time basis. This means you can book a one-on-one appointment with a counsellor to discuss an issue, and can come back for future appointments as often as you like. In order to provide all students with quick access to one-on-one counselling, we encourage students to book appointments with the next available counsellor. If you would like to see a counsellor as soon as possible, same-day appointments are available.
However, you can request to see a specific counsellor either at the Health & Wellness Centre or an on-location counsellor in your faculty, department or college. Please note, requesting an appointment with a specific counsellor may increase the wait time for the appointment.
Service Fees
Our services are paid for through OHIP, UHIP or other provincial health plans. This means that all currently registered U of T students – undergraduates, graduate, full-time, part-time and international students – can access most of our services at no cost. There are some products and services that require a fee because they are not covered by these plans, such as immunizations, filling out some forms, and sexual health products. Learn more about the services that require payment.
Unfortunately, we cannot waive the fee for a missed appointment. If you are unable to make an appointment, we encourage you to let the clinic know at least 24 hours before your appointment. If you’re cancelling a psychiatry appointment, we require 48 hours’ notice. You can find more information in our cancellation policy.
U of T students have coverage for these services through extended health plan provided through the University of Toronto Students’ Union. These services are not provided by Health & Wellness, but you can find providers in the community at iamsick.ca.
The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry operates clinics that can provide services typically at a lower cost.
We do not offer appointments to complete forms. However, if you have an appointment to address a health concern and completing a form is part of that service, your family doctor can complete it for you. Some forms may have a cost associated, which your physician can advise you on.
Accessing Health Services
You can book a Periodic Health Visit once every 12 months. These appointments are intended for patients who do not have a specific health concern. It includes a review of your health history, lifestyle and risk factors, and a limited physical exam.
Discovery Pharmacy is another resource available to you that can help answer common questions on health topics. The pharmacists can provide recommendations and prescribe for certain health conditions like skin irritation, urinary tract infections, and acid reflux. Learn more on their website.
Health811 is a 24-hour service where you can call or chat online with a registered nurse for free, secure and confidential health advice.
If you have an urgent concern, please book an appointment.
Yes, you are encouraged to ask your clinician about their areas of specialty and clinical expertise to better understand how they can meet your needs. You can bring this up at your next appointment with them.
You can find a range of physiotherapy clinics around campus and Toronto at iamsick.ca. Use the map to find a location most convenient for you.
If you are not a patient at Health & Wellness and already have a family doctor, we encourage you to ask them to complete your disability documentation as they will have knowledge of your medical history and can access your clinical records.
Family doctors at Health & Wellness can help fill out your disability documentation. We often need previous clinical records or assessments, and it may take a few appointments to complete, particularly if you are a new patient.
Planning to Leave University
Health & Wellness can only provide services to currently registered U of T students. We can also support you to find health care providers in the community as you prepare to leave university.
If you are registered at Health & Wellness and you are in your last year of study, you should speak with your doctor or other clinician about transitioning to another doctor in the community once you leave university. They can explain the process and provide you with resources and guidance.
Your UHIP health coverage is tied to your status as a student. Once you complete your degree requirements, UHIP coverage will automatically end. You can request to extend UHIP coverage for up to six months after it ends, but the request must be made 1 month before you will need the extension to start.
| Complete Degree Requirements | Deadline to Request Extension | UHIP 6-Month Extension Period (maximum) |
|---|---|---|
| December | December 1 | January 1 – June 30 |
| April | April 1 | May 1 – October 31 |
| August | July 1 | September 1 – December 31 |
If you have any questions about UHIP, you can contact uhip.information@utoronto.ca.
