ÉTS

The Health System and Foreign Students: What to Do When You Have a Health Problem

Throughout your studies at ÉTS, if you should have a health problem in Québec, you’ll be covered by insurance. We’d like to offer you an overview of the medical resources you can turn to if you need help.

What to Do in a Medical Emergency

From the ÉTS Campus: Dial 55

From internal phones, contact the Prevention and Security Department as soon as possible.

From outside ÉTS, in Canada and the United States: Dial 911

You can reach emergency services with this number, such as ambulance, police and firefighters. Please note that ambulance transportation is not free of charge and it is charged to the person who needs the ambulance. Find out more from your insurer.

Who Should I Contact for Non-Urgent Health Issues?

  • Info-Santé: Call 811
    Phone consultation service available 24 hours a day.
    A nurse will give you advice and answer your questions. If needed, he or she can also orient you to the closest medical resources to your home.
    Learn more about Info-Santé.
     
  • Pharmacies:
    A pharmacist can advise you and recommend non-prescription products and medications.
     
  • Medical clinics:
    In Québec, not everyone can have their own family doctor. Foreign students cannot be put on the waiting list to get one. There are, however, different kinds of clinics where you can receive care. Before going to a clinic in person, contact the clinic to make sure they have space for you, as some clinics do not offer walk-in appointments to patients who are not already patients of one of their doctors.
     
  • Specialists: To consult a specialist (dermatologist, gynecologist, etc.), you must first see a general practitioner in a clinic that offers emergency services or walk-in appointments.

As a foreign student, you’ll either be covered by Quebec’s provincial health plan, the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), or by Desjardins Insurance.

We recommend that you always keep your insurance card on you.

Other Health Professionals

Other health professionals may be helpful for you, such as:

  • Acupuncturists
  • Chiropractors
  • Dentists
  • Dieticians
  • Massage therapists
  • Naturopaths
  • Optometrists
  • Osteopaths
  • Physical therapists
  • Podiatrists
  • Psychologists

Responsibility for fees
In Quebec, these services are not free, and the fees charged are your responsibility. Additional insurance, however, may cover part of these fees.

Contact your insurer to find out more:

  • If you’re covered by Québec’s provincial health plan, the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ): You can register for additional coverage with the ASÉQ (in French). You must sign up within 30 days of registering for the RAMQ.
  • You are covered by Desjardins: Check your insurance policy’s coverage to see if these services are reimbursed.
     

Psychologists: Free Consultations at Student Services

At Student Services, you can consult a psychologist, confidentially and free of charge, for personal, interpersonal or scholastic difficulties.

More information about individual consultations.