Students can take advantage of many services at the Group Health Cooperative clinic located in the Truax Campus Health Education Building.

They can get immunizations, see a doctor or nurse when feeling cold or flu-like symptoms, take a strep test and get help with minor sprains and injuries.

But, unlike many other health clinics at college campuses throughout the nation, the GHC clinic does not offer birth control (other than condoms) or screenings for sexually transmitted diseases or infections.

Madison College health educator Anna Marie Hoffmann said there’s a good reason these services aren’t offered at the campus clinic.

“I don’t want to take away from a place that does it better,” Hoffmann said, noting that a Planned Parenthood Clinic is within a 10-minute walk of the Truax Campus.

The Planned Parenthood Clinic is located at 3706 Orin Road, Madison, just across Highway 51 from the north side of the main Truax building. Planned Parenthood is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

“As the Health Center at Madison College grows larger there are a lot of things we have to take into account,” Hoffmann said. “One of the main things is our staffing. Planned Parenthood is so good at what they do and have professionals trained in specific areas. I never want to take away from a place that is doing their job so well. The Health Center and Planned Parenthood have a great relationship and they help us out a lot.”

The Madison College GHC Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s closed on weekends and holidays.