The Student Health Center hopes to offer male students a new addition to their college experiences through services provided by the Men's Health Clinic.
Since September, the clinic's all-male staff has been offering male students health tips, precautionary medical advice or simply an attentive ear.
"[Men's health] is not something that's really addressed," said Tommie Smith, a nurse and counselor at Student Health. "Men usually don't like to go to the doctor until there's a problem."
Smith, who started the clinic with Student Health physicians, said the program aims to offer a preventative health component to male students.
Duke's program is one of only a few college male clinics in the nation. There are a high number of women's clinics.
Jean Hanson, administrative director of Student Health, said the idea for a men's clinic first gained attention at the University about five years ago.
"There are a lot of problems we can feel embarrassed about that affect men differently," Hanson said. "[College] is a good time to let men know what they need to be aware of to change behavior and reap benefits when they're 35, 40 years old."
Unhealthy eating habits, testicular cancer and heart disease are among many of the problems the program tackles.
"One thing that's really great about the clinic is the setting," he said.
By going to the clinic, patients can also avoid uncomfortable interactions with long-known family doctors at home, Student Health officials noted.
Despite the focus on preventative care, students have visited the clinic for a range of issues. "Lots of students come asking about small concerns-how they can exercise in everyday environments like at work desks, stay healthy, talk about problems only males have," Smith said.
He added that other patients have gone to the clinic for "the rare opportunity to talk about their feelings."
Students who seek diet and exercise advice are offered personalized health tips and plans of action that integrate physical state and family medical history.
Smith said he and his staff hope to create a training ground that teaches students how to lead healthy lifestyles when they leave Duke.
Doctors at the clinic try to incorporate lifestyle tips, like "Allow time for yourself" and "Know your family history," into the patients' visits.
The program parallels the Student Health Center's Women's Clinic, created several years ago.
"Males and females each bring their own unique questions and problems," Smith said.
"This is a rare avenue for valuable help on a personal level," he added.
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