Our Services
- Confidential appointments with Cleveland Clinic GYN practitioners are available Tuesday and Friday afternoons at Longbrake Student Wellness Center between 1:30-3:00 p.m. Please call 330-263-2319 to set up appointments with Dr. Diedre McIntosh (MD), or Certified Nursing Practitioners Amy Guthrie (CNP) and Renee Metcalf (CNP).
- GYN wellness check-ups (annual Pap and Breast Exams) with gynecologist or nurse practitioner.
- Appointments for concern with periods (heavy bleeding, irregularity, or no period).
- Consultations about contraceptives.
- Prescriptions for contraceptives (some can be purchased at Longbrake Student Wellness Center).
- Contraceptive injections given by prescription.
- Consultations and/or referrals as needed regarding other female issues.
- Testing for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) testing can also be done at Longbrake Student Wellness Center Monday-Friday in the morning with Family Practitioners from the Cleveland Clinic.
- Referrals for outside services and resources.
- IUD insertions can be arranged through Cleveland Clinic at the CCF building in Wooster.
- Free pregnancy tests and HIV testing.
- The emergency contraceptive pill, ELLA, is available at Wellness 24/7.
- We also carry condoms, vaginal dams, and pregnancy tests inside Entrance A and Entrance D on Care Center Cart and with RAs.
- Through our partnership with OneEighty, students are provided confidential crisis intervention, counseling, information and referral, and accompaniment to medical and legal services as requested by the student.
- Additionally, the nursing staff is available to meet with individuals or groups of students to discuss gynecological issues and answer any questions. Call 330-263-2319 to schedule an appointment or meeting about Women’s Health.
Sexual Health and Wellness Fair, Other Programming
During the academic year, we hold events and other programming to share information and resources on important topics related to sexual health and wellness with students. These activities cover everything from contraceptives, on-campus OB/GYN services, STI testing, reducing STI stigma, period poverty, LGBTQ+ resources, asexuality, abstinence, sexual consent and bystander intervention, conversation starters on sexual health, resources from Counseling Services, OneEighty, and Aultman Hospital Nursing.
Gynecology Exam
It is recommended to have an exam yearly if you were born with a uterus. The exam is based on your medical history and your age. As part of this critical yearly exam, a doctor or nurse practitioner will assess reproductive organs along with part of your regular checkup.
The exam does not take long, perhaps 15 minutes. Your exam will include the nurse taking your blood pressure and recording your height and weight. Your doctor or nurse practitioner may listen to your heart and lungs or perform a breast exam. Depending on your age and medical history, or if you are having any symptoms such as unusual vaginal discharge or pelvic pain, your health care provider may recommend a pelvic exam or additional labs.
Preparing for an exam
You do not need to do anything special to prepare before the exam but it may be helpful to make an appointment on a day you do not have your period or refrain from sexual intercourse a few days prior to the exam for better lab results but it is not required. To assist your health care provider with your needs, if possible, have prior gynecology records faxed to the wellness center before your appointment. The fax is 330-263-2369. Have a list of questions you may want answered and the names of your current medications. Bring any insurance information with you to your appointment.
When you arrive for your appointment you will be asked to fill out a medical history form and list of any questions or concerns. The information you provide gives the health care provider a “snapshot” of your current health status and helps them make appropriate medical recommendations specific to you.
What to expect during an exam
You will be asked to change into a gown and given a sheet to wrap around your waist for privacy. Both the gown and the sheet should be open to the front. If indicated, your health care provider would at this point perform a breast exam.
Pelvic exam
The pelvic exam takes about 10 minutes. The doctor or nurse practitioner can check your bladder, vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and rectum.
After talking with the doctor or nurse practitioner you will be asked to lie back on the examining table with your knees bent and your feet placed in supports called stirrups. They will then ask you to slide towards the end of the table and let your knees fall open so the genital area is easier to see. You can expect to feel a little discomfort, but you should not feel pain.
- External check. Your health care provider will visually check for external redness, sores, swelling or other abnormalities.
- Internal check. Because your pelvic organs can’t be seen, the health care provider will need to feel (palpate) your abdomen and pelvis. The health care provider will place one or two lubricated, gloved fingers inside the vagina and press down on the area she is feeling. They are checking the sizes and shapes of internal organs.
Sometimes if indicated, the doctor or nurse practitioner may perform a rectal exam to detect any tumors or other abnormalities.
Using a speculum, the doctor or nurse practitioner can check the vagina and cervix internally. The speculum is a device made of plastic or metal that is inserted into the vagina. It opens so that the vagina and cervix can be seen. The speculum can cause pressure that can be uncomfortable for some women. Relax as much as possible to ease discomfort but let the doctor know if you are experiencing pain.
What tests might be taken during a pelvic exam?
If your pelvic exam includes a PAP test, your doctor or nurse practitioner will collect a sample of your cervical cells before removing the speculum. The PAP test is generally recommended for women over age 21 to screen for cells that may lead to cervical cancer. Cervical cancer can be cured if it is found early. The cell sample is placed in solution and sent to the lab where it is examined. It takes approximately 5-10 days for results.
A sample of fluid may also be taken from the vagina to screen for infection and sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s).
After a pelvic exam
After the pelvic exam is over, you can get dressed and the doctor or nurse practitioner will discuss their results and let you know if you should return for follow up and recommend how frequently you need to be examined. Generally gynecology exams are done yearly.
If you need a follow-up appointment you may want to schedule this with the nurse or front desk.
Additional Fact Sheets and Resources:
- Oral Contraceptive: Information sheet
- PAP Test: Fact sheet
- Urinary Tract Infection: Symptoms, treatments and prevention
- Vaginal Yeast Infections: Information and instructions
- If When How: This site provides users free telephone and online access to lawyers who specialize in reproductive rights and who can answer questions about legal risk.
- Abortion Finder: This tool allows users to search for the closest providers, by location and estimated gestational age. Includes up-to-date details on how the rapidly changing state policies impact a person’s access.
- Planned Parenthood: Most Planned Parenthood medical and abortion centers have “navigators” on staff who help patients gain access to the care they need whenever they need it.
- Plan C Pills: One-stop site with all the information a person needs to obtain medical abortion pills, both via verified providers and via self-managed abortion. This site works with www.aidaccess.org, which pioneered how to get abortion access to pregnant people in restrictive countries.
- Abortion Fund Ohio: Provides a number of resources, including financial, in order to get people the care they need both in and out of state.