Medication Management

*Visit the Appointments  page to access UCC Psychiatric Services.*

The UCC (University Counseling Center) has psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners available by appointment for psychiatric evaluation and medication management services.

Common Medication Management Questions and Answers

• Who can receive medication management services?
  • Active Vanderbilt University students who have paid the health services fee.
• How do I make an appointment with one of the psychiatric providers?
  • Students can be referred for psychiatric evaluation at the UCC through Student Care Coordination (SCC) or through direct referral from a UCC therapist.
  • Medication Management is also available via Vanderbilt Telehealth by AcademicLiveCare (VTALC)
    • Please note AcademicLiveCare is unable to prescribe or refill controlled medications
• What are the options for appointments?
  • In-person at the UCC
  • Telehealth via the UCC portal
    • Please note that students choosing telehealth are required to be physically located within the state of Tennessee at the time of their appointment.
      • Providers expect students to maintain the same professional standards as would be expected in an in-person appointment.
• What if I am going to be late or I need to reschedule?
  • If you are more than 10 minutes late, your appointment may have to be rescheduled.
  • If you need to reschedule, please do so at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment by:
    • Utilizing the online scheduling system on the student portal.
    • Calling the UCC front desk at 615-322-2571 during hours of operation
• Do I need to do anything for my initial appointment with a medical provider?
  • For your initial medication management appointment, please arrive or login to the portal prior to your appointment time to complete intake paperwork and forms. Please allow at least 15-20 minutes to complete forms. These forms are different than the ones completed for therapy appointments and for SCC intake appointments.
• What if I already take psychiatric medications?
  • If available, we ask for records documenting the current treatment plan to ensure safe continuity of care.
• What if I have ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) or I am interested in stimulant medications?
  • Documentation of ADHD is required for UCC providers to initiate or continue previous stimulant prescriptions. Documentation may include a test report from a formal psychological evaluation or documentation of a clinical diagnosis by a qualified mental health provider.
    • Whether you are submitting a testing report or other documentation of a clinical diagnosis, we request that the documentation be submitted for review by UCC assessment psychologists. It is expected that documentation of a previous ADHD diagnosis will include the following:
      • Description of symptoms and associated impairment in functioning
      • Verification of childhood onset of symptoms (typically by parent or guardian)
      • Rule-out of other mental health conditions that could account for ADHD symptoms.
      • Please be aware that a provider letter that simply states an ADHD diagnosis and/or medication prescribed typically does not provide enough information to confirm an ADHD diagnosis and is not likely to be sufficient for management of stimulant medication by UCC providers.
      • Upon review, our psychologist may request additional information, such as developmental history, at their discretion. If appropriate they may recommend formal ADHD evaluation. Assessment is available through the UCC or through a referral to assessment services within the Nashville area.
      • If a diagnosis of ADHD is made or confirmed, you can be referred to a UCC medical provider. The decision of whether to medicate and what kind of medication to use will be made by you and your treating provider.
        • If the decision is made for treatment with stimulant medication, students will receive prescriptions in no more than 30-day supply. To continue receiving refills, you must return for a follow-up appointment every 30 days or as determined by your provider.
        • Please note that not all students respond to stimulant medication and that for some students, other medications for ADHD and behavioral interventions are more appropriate and effective.
• What if I am going home for the summer or if I am planning to study abroad?
  • Please notify your provider as soon as possible to begin planning and to ensure safe continuity of care while away from campus.
  • If you plan to be out of Tennessee for an extended period, please identify resources in your community for medication management while home.
    • If you need support finding a provider, reach out to your current provider to explore potential treatment options.
  • If you plan on studying abroad, you will need to coordinate continued medication services with the Global Education Office and your with current provider. Providers are not able to prescribe medications outside of the United States.

This page was last updated June 2024