Columbia University Health Services

CPS Psychiatrists are available to prescribe medications that may be helpful in treating emotional problems. Following evaluation, your psychiatrist may recommend a trial course of medication. Before meeting with a psychiatrist at CPS for the first time, you will meet with a counselor to discuss your symptoms, personal history, and present circumstances. That way when you meet with your psychiatrist, he or she will already have a good deal of  background information and be able to use your time together to focus on the aspects of your health and health care needs that, as physicians, psychiatrists are uniquely qualified to explore.

If a psychiatrist outside of CPS has already prescribed medication for you, considerations of quality care dictate that you still have a thorough assessment at CPS, before we are able to prescribe that medication for you. Even if the prescription you were given a few months ago was right for you then, it may not be right for you now. Our psychiatrists need to assess the therapeutic efficacy of your medication and potential side effects before continuing the prescription. They will also periodically meet with, and monitor students for whom they have prescribed medication. To schedule your first intake, go to Making Appointments .

Prescriptions can be filled at any local drugstore. For information about utilizing pharmacy benefits through the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan , or contact your insurance carrier.

We encourage students to schedule appointments well in advance of the need for a medication refill. It is important that you do not abruptly discontinue many psychoactive medications, and because so many students use our services, there may be a wait before a refill appointment is available.

If you do require a last minute refill, we will accommodate you, as time permits, by prescribing enough medication to last until a proper follow-up appointment can be scheduled. However, quality health care requires that you meet with your psychiatrist periodically to review your medication and how you are responding to it. It is usually not possible to provide this careful monitoring in a last-minute refill appointment, and if we accommodate you in this way you will still need to return for a more comprehensive follow-up visit. To avoid extra medical appointments and the cost of multiple refills of the same prescription, we encourage you to keep careful track of your medication and arrange a renewal appointment well in advance.

If you are under the care of a physician outside of CPS and require a prescription refill, contact the prescribing physician to insure the continuity and quality of your health care.