Stress Busters helps students learn coping strategies
If you're an undergraduate or graduate student who is feeling stressed, Stress Busters may be the answer. Stress Busters is a support and psycho-education group that focuses on helping members find new ways to cope with stress. During three 90-minute sessions held over the course of three consecutive weeks, group members give and receive support from one another around stress-related issues. They also learn specific techniques for managing stress, including relaxation exercises and time-management techniques.

A new Stress Busters group will be starting soon. Students interested in participating should contact Leader (lead@med.mit.edu) or Zisk (zisk@med.mit.edu) by e-mail or telephone (617/ 253-2916) to set up a brief interview.

Planning to travel this summer?
If you're planning an international trip this summer, it's not too early to think about making an appointment with one of MIT Medical's travel health specialists. "We provide advice, immunizations, and medications people may need when traveling to distant places," explains MIT Medical internist Howard Heller, M.D., a specialist in infectious diseases and one of MIT Medical's group of travel health clinicians. The group also offers information sessions for groups of people who are traveling together.

"When we travel, we may expose ourselves to infections for which we have no natural immunity," Heller says. "People who grew up in the United States, Canada, Europe, or Australia have never been exposed to certain infectious agents like malaria and typhoid." And, Heller adds, international students who have not been home for several years might also consider immunizations against infections for which their natural immunity might have worn off.

Heller suggests that individuals make travel health appointments at least six to eight weeks before planning to leave the country. "This is especially important if vaccines are necessary," he emphasizes. "Most take at least two weeks to become effective and others—like vaccinations for Japanese encephalitis or rabies—require a series of three shots given over the course of a month."

For an appointment, call 617/ 253-4481 and ask for a travel health appointment. MIT Health Plan members with questions about coverage for travel-related vaccines and medications can call Claims and Member Services at 617/ 253-5979.

"Your Health" lecture series continues
Just a reminder that MIT Medical's Health Education Service is offering several lectures each month on health-related topics. The lectures are free of charge and open to the entire MIT community, including employees, retirees, and MIT Health Plan members. The March lectures will focus on nutrition, and April's lectures will address stress management. For dates, times, and locations, call Health Education at 617/ 253-1316, or visit http://web.mit.edu/medical/yourhealth/.

New web and print brochures from MIT Medical

• Health Education at MIT Medical (printed brochure) lists free and low-cost programs, workshops, and multi-media resources on a variety of topics. Available from Health Education, E23-205, telephone 617/ 253-2916, e-mail healthed@mit.edu.
• Dental Frequently Asked Questions fact sheets (Acrobat PDF format) are now on the Web at http://web.mit.edu/medical/dental/#faq. Find out about cracked tooth syndrome, oral piercing, and more.
• How to use Pediatrics (printed brochure) describes how to access Pediatric services at MIT Medical/ Cambridge and MIT Medical Lexington. Available from Pediatrics, E23-193, telephone 617/ 253-1505.