Health Resources

• Case Management Resource Guide (PDF)

• CVS* | 1218 E Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 | 610-519-1920
• Parvins Pharmacy* | 30 N Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 | 610-525-0443
• Rite Aid | 708 W Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 | 610-527-3603
• Tepper Pharmacy* | 333 Lancaster Avenue #5, Wynnewood, PA 19096 | 610-649-0390

*Delivers

AFC Urgent Care Havertown
115 W Eagle Rd
Havertown Pa 19083
484-452-9400

CVS MinuteClinic
1218 E. Lancaster Avenue
Bryn Mawr PA 19010
610-519-1920

Main Line Health Urgent Care–Wynnewood
306 Lancaster Ave #200
Wynnewood, PA 19096
484-565-1293

Tower Health Urgent Care
635 Conestoga Road
Villanova, PA 19085
610-710-4444

Note: Please contact your insurance company for more information on urgent care co-pays.

Bryn Mawr Health & Wellness provides a wide range of Gender Affirming Care on campus as well as referral to trusted partners in the community. Below are just some of the services we provide. If you do not see what you are looking for, reach out to Health at bkotarski@brynmawr.edu, Counseling at lmacnamara@brynmawr.edu, or Wellness at OwlWell@brynmawr.edu to talk about your options! Health and Wellness can also be contacted by phone at 610-526-7360.

Counseling Services

• Affirming counseling support
• Referrals to trusted community partners 
• Letters of support for gender affirming surgeries when needed
• Connections to LGBTQIA+ affirming substance use resources and support

Health Services

• Contraceptive care across the gender spectrum
  • Discussion of desired goals / outcomes
  • Options exploration
  • Prescription initiation and management
  • Referral to off campus partners as needed
• Gender Affirming Care navigation appointments
• Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy
  • Referral to a trusted community partner for consultation and initiation of hormone therapy
  • Continuation and support of hormone therapy at Bryn Mawr Health Services
• Routine sexual and reproductive health screenings (ex: pap smears / gynecological exams, prostate exams, breast / chest exams, etc.)

Wellness Services

• Contraceptive counseling across the gender spectrum 
  • Discussion of desired goals and outcomes
  • Options exploration
  • Referral to Health Services for initiation and / or management
• Gender and identity exploration w/ trained staff and peer health educators
• Educational resources
• Referral to on and off campus resources

Names, sex assigned at birth, and pronouns are initially entered into a student's electronic health record via information from the Registrar's office. Because a student's name in use, gender identity, or pronouns may be different than those on file with the Registrar, students are able to change these items in their patient portal.

To access the patient portal:

1. Log into your BMC Webmail / Email for DUO authentication
2. Open a new tab and visit Medicat Connect
3. In your patient portal, navigate to "My Profile" to change the desired information

Please note that this does not allow you to update your legal name. If you are pursuing a legal name change, please connect with the Registrar to update your information.

Gender Affirming Clothing
The Wardrobe, formerly know and the Career Wardrobe, is a non-profit dedicated to eliminating clothing insecurity. They provide free and low-cost clothing items along with binders and other gender affirming undergarments.

The Wardrobe
 

Gender Identity and Exploration
Gender Spectrum provides a wide variety of educational resources and tools for individuals exploring their relationship to gender as well as those who seek to be better allies to Trans, Non-Binary, and Gender Expansive individuals.

Gender Spectrum

Philadelphia Area Resource Guide
This guide, created by the Mazzoni Center, provides a collection of Trans friendly and gender affirming resources throughout the Philadelphia area. As a note, this guide was created in 2022 and some entries may be out of date. Be sure to contact any service or provider ahead of time to confirm their information!

Philadelphia Gender Affirming Resource Guide
 

Tucking & Binding
Tucking or binding can be one of the many ways individuals choose to express or affirm their gender. While tucking and binding are generally safe practices, there are a few tips to keep in mind that will help you keep your body happy and healthy while doing so!

While tucking or binding may take some getting used to, you should never experience pain. If you are experiencing pain while tucking or binding, make an appointment to see a provider at Health Services for an assessment and check in!

Safer Binding from Community One Foundation

Safer Tucking Guide from Fenway Health

Find a Binder from Healthy Binding

As of May 1, 2024, and as per CDC guidelines, students and community members are no longer mandated to isolate for 5 days if they are COVID-19 positive. They must continue to wear a mask when around others for 10 days post a positive COVID-19 test. As with all infectious illnesses, we ask that community members avoid crowded public areas until fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication). While symptoms may last longer than fever, it is important to monitor symptoms for improvement. If symptoms do not improve or worsen, community members are urged to seek medical advice before returning to full activities. 

The status of severity and community impact from COVID-19 is ever changing. Please stay alert to any policy guidance that may be made based on recommendations from local health authorities. 

What is hantavirus?

Hantavirus is an infection caused by a family of viruses that spread to humans through exposure to infected urine, saliva or dropping from rodents.  

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a rare viral illness. In the United States, the virus is most commonly carried by deer mice.  

• The Andes virus is the only form of hantavirus documented to spread from person to person. Primarily found in South America, this virus can pass between humans through close, prolonged contact with an infected person's saliva, respiratory secretions, or other bodily fluids, rather than just from rodent contact. Human-to-human transmission is rare, with most infections worldwide still caused by contact with infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva.  

Is hantavirus common?

No. Hantavirus infections are very rare in the U.S. Most years, only a small number of cases are reported nationwide. Cases are more common in rural areas of the western United States than in the Northeast.

Should students in the Philadelphia area be worried?

Hantavirus is very rare, especially in college environments in the Northeastern part of the U.S. The best prevention is avoiding contact with rodents and reporting any rodent concerns promptly.  

How does hantavirus spread?

People can become infected when virus particles from rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials become airborne and are breathed in. This can happen during activities like:

• Sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings  
• Cleaning unused storage areas  
• Entering cabins, sheds, or basements with rodent infestations  

Less commonly, infection can occur through rodent bites or by touching contaminated materials and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes.

Does hantavirus spread from person to person?

In North America, hantavirus strains that cause HPS generally do not spread from person to person.

What rodents carry hantavirus?

In the United States, deer mice, cotton and rice rats (in the Southeast), and the white-footed mouse (in the Northeast), are the known rodent carriers of Hantaviruses causing HPS. Most HPS have occurred in the western states where deer mice are common.

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms can look like many common viral illnesses and may include:

• Fever  
• Fatigue  
• Muscle aches  
• Headache  
• Nausea or vomiting  

If the illness progresses, symptoms can become serious and include:

• Cough  
• Shortness of breath  
• Difficulty breathing  
• When should a student seek medical care?

Students should contact a healthcare provider if they:

• Develop fever and significant flu-like symptoms after rodent exposure  
• Have worsening breathing symptoms  
• Recently cleaned a rodent-infested space and became ill afterward  

Students with mild cold symptoms and no rodent exposure generally do not need to worry about hantavirus.

How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?

Symptoms usually develop 1–8 weeks after exposure to infected rodents or their waste.

Is hantavirus treatable?

There is no specific antiviral treatment, but early medical care improves outcomes. Most people who become seriously ill require hospitalization and supportive care.

How can students reduce risk?

Students can lower their risk by:

• Avoiding contact with wild rodents  
• Reporting rodent sightings in residence halls promptly  
• Keeping food sealed  
• Not sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings  
• Can students get hantavirus from another student?

No evidence suggests the U.S. strains spread casually between people in classrooms, residence halls, or social settings.

Is hantavirus related to COVID-19?

No. COVID-19 and hantavirus are caused by completely different viruses and spread differently.

What should residence life staff know?

Residence life staff should:

• Promptly report signs of rodents to facilities teams  
• Avoid improper cleanup of droppings  
• Reassure students that risk is very low in maintained campus housing  
• Encourage students to seek medical evaluation for concerning symptoms after known exposure  

For authoritative information, students can review guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.