I need care right away. What should I do?
If you’re feeling sick or you have a non-life-threatening injury, you have several options:
- Try the Urgent Care Service. MIT Health’s Urgent Care Service is on the first floor of E23 and is open from 8 a.m.–8 p.m., M–F and 10 a.m.– 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. You can walk in and wait for an available clinician, or you can reserve a spot online.
- Make a same-day appointment with Primary Care We have same-day appointments for people who are sick or hurt. Call 617-253-4481, and describe your symptoms to a triage nurse. If you need to be seen immediately, the nurse will schedule a same-day appointment with a clinician who has an opening.
- Is it after-hours? Call our nurse line. You can call our 24-hour nurse line at 617-253-4481, and speak to a triage nurse. Describe your symptoms in detail, so the nurse can give you advice about what to do next.
What if I need help getting to MIT Health or the hospital?
If you are too sick or hurt to get MIT Health on your own, MIT EMS, the student-run ambulance service, can provide transport to our Cambridge care center, or if necessary, a nearby hospital. To summon the ambulance, call 617-253-1212 (or 100 from a campus phone).
Since MIT EMS operates only one ambulance, the service may not always be available to respond, and another ambulance company may respond to a call. If you are transported, treated, or evaluated by an ambulance company other than MIT EMS, the cost will depend on your insurance:
- If you are on the MIT Student Health Insurance Plan (MIT SHIP), the ambulance fee will be fully covered, and you will not have to pay anything.
- If you are not on MIT SHIP, your out-of-pocket cost will be determined by your insurance plan.
Can MIT Health give me a sick note?
MIT Health does not provide “sick notes” or excuses for classes, academic work, or exams impacted by medical issues. If you have an injury or illness that has impacted your studies, contact:
- Undergraduate students: Student Support Services, s3-support@mit.edu or 617-253-4861
- Graduate students: Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, gradsupport@mit.edu
If Student Support Services or the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education contacts us, we can confirm that your medical excuse is legitimate, but we will not share any specific medical information without your permission. Student Support Services or the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education can help you communicate with your professors, instructors, teaching assistants, or academic departments.