The McKinley Health Center is the University’s on-campus health center. Just south of the Main Quad, the historic building serves students from across the University’s campus.

The services provided to students at McKinley are paid for by the Health Service Fee included in University tuition, so even if a student opts out of University health insurance coverage, McKinley is there to help.

If you have any health complications or injuries while on campus — or even if you just come down with a cold — it’s helpful to understand the many ways to utilize McKinley’s services. 

At the University, a wide range of health care services including physicals, women’s healthcare, mental health support and a pharmacy are offered through McKinley. 

“McKinley should come first to mind when (a student) is thinking about (their) health care needs when (they) are on campus,” said Awais Vaid, director of the McKinley Health Center. 

McKinley has an online portal called MyMcKinley that students can use to schedule appointments. Using a NetID and password to log in, the portal allows students to choose their provider, communicate the reason for their appointment and select a time that best fits their schedule from a menu.

Students may also call 217-333-2700 during weekday business hours — Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — to schedule an appointment. 

To cancel an appointment, you can call the same number. Failure to cancel within two hours of the appointment time will result in a $20 fee charged to your student account. 

McKinley offers an array of products and services including bloodwork, X-rays and prescription medication.

“The pharmacy at McKinley fills most of the prescriptions — if not all of them,” Vaid explained. “Most of those prescriptions are $5 out of pocket — so it’s a very small co-payment.”

Other items provided by McKinley include products for minor injuries, allergies, insomnia and sexual safety — which are free of charge, like most of their services. There are vending machines throughout campus that offer supplies, and all you need to retrieve them is your i-card. 

“We have primary care providers who can see you for all of your health needs,” Vaid said. “All of these services can be taken care of in-house at McKinley.”

According to Vaid, McKinley offers specialty care for women’s health, counselors and psychiatrists who can prescribe medication, physical therapists and stress management counselors to students.

Even if students chose to opt out of the Illinois student health insurance plan, they still have access to McKinley. 

“The health insurance coverage is only for services outside of Mckinley,” Vaid said. “Since you’ve already paid the student fee, you are getting the services at no charge.”

According to Vaid, the cost of McKinley is included in the student fee that is charged alongside tuition each year. This cost also covers public transit throughout Champaign-Urbana and the University counseling center.

Vaid said that although McKinley is free to students, the staff are highly qualified and experienced. 

“There is a misconception out there that since it’s a student health center, we do not have the expertise or the providers that we have are at the same level as if you would go to a hospital,” Vaid said. “But that’s not true.”

Vaid added that McKinley’s family medicine and internal medicine providers are also board certified, giving students easier access to quality medical professionals.

“We have a lot of that expertise in-house,” Vaid said. 

Another benefit to seeking medical attention at McKinley is reduced wait times for certain kinds of specialty care, Vaid said. He noted that getting an appointment with a community practitioner at a hospital or a clinic may take weeks or even months.

McKinley also offers University students mental health resources. These include mental health appointments where students can meet confidentially with a licensed mental health professional.  

McKinley offers a wide range of services, but Vaid is still looking to make new additions in the future. Some of the ideas suggested for the future range from satellite location technology for urgent care to an in-house massage therapist, which Vaid said “a lot of students have requested.”

“We coordinate everything for you and we do everything for you,” Vaid said. “We want to keep you well so that you can excel in your education.”

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