Graduate School of Medical Sciences
A partnership with the Sloan Kettering Institute

Accessing Student Support Services

Weill Cornell Graduate School is committed to providing students with comprehensive, accessible student support services.  Below are guidelines for how to access the various staff who can help provide assistance and support.

Student Mental Health Support

Weill Cornell Medicine's Student Mental Health Program offers our studnets access to free, confidential mental health services by appointment. We are staffed by psychologists and psychiatrists from diverse cultural, national, and clinical backgrounds who are skilled in treating a wide range of issues. Appointments are scheduled promptly and in consideration of our students' scheduling needs and preferences.

We offer a range of services from supportive psychotherapy focused on identifying and enhancing coping skills to consultation and assessment of all psychiatric conditions and treatments including psychotherapy, phychopharmacotherapy, and neuropsychological assessment. Family and marital counseling is also available.

This is not an emergency service and students should expect communication for an appointment during regular business hours Monday-Friday.

  • A student must self-refer for the Student Mental Health program and request an appointment.
  • Care is confidential and is not part of the student educational record.
  • All visits with clinicians are covered under the Student Health Fee - there is no separate charge unless lab tests or image studies are ordered. This is analogous to the care students recdeive at the Student Health office.
  • Clinicians have no student evaluation role within the Graduate School.

How to Access Our Services

To request an appointment, please send an email including your name and contact information to studentmentalhealth@med.cornell.edu. Students do not need to disclose the details of their concerns when requesting an appointment. Our program assistant will respond during regular business hours to schedule your appointment.

If you are in urgent need of emergency assistance during our off hours, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Help is also available by contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Program Director
Patricia Marino, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry
Weill Cornell Medicine
(914) 997-8691
pam2029@med.cornell.edu 

Office of Student Affairs

The mission of the Office of Student Affairs is to support students throughout their path in graduate school. Feel free to reach out for support or with any inquiries to graduatestudentaffairs@med.cornell.edu

To discuss any personal or professional issues, students can contact Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Judith Cukor, 212-821-0627, juc2010@med.cornell.edu.  Dr. Cukor is a psychologist and will work CONFIDENTIALLY with students to assess their needs and provide the appropriate referral or ongoing support. Dr. Cukor is not a member of the graduate school faculty and is not involved in training or progression to degree.

Students who are interested in faith-based counseling can find information about spiritual and religious care resources, for various faiths, at www.nyp.org/clinical-services/pastoral-care and/or www.mskcc.org/experience/patient-support/counseling/spiritual-religious-care. Both services are open to seeing WCGS students.

Students interested in wellness education programming, including WCM’s Peers Advocating Wellness program, should contact 212-746-7070.  Wellness resources and a schedule of activities can be found by visiting https://studentservices.weill.cornell.edu/student-life/well-weill 

For all immediate medical-related issues students should contact or visit Student Health Services, 230 East 69th Street, 646-962-6942.

Academic Support Services

All Weill Cornell Graduate Students should feel supported to achieve academically. If you find that you need assistance, please do not hesitate to be in touch.

For academic-related issues students should first contact their Program Directors (you can find their email address via your Program page at (http://gradschool.weill.cornell.edu/academics).  If students or faculty feel they need to elevate the discussion, they should contact Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr. Randi Silver (212-746-5006), rbsilve@med.cornell.edu.

All questions related to student disability support services should be directed to Assistant Dean for Students Affairs, Dr. Judith Cukor 212-821-0627, juc2010@med.cornell.edu.  

Housing & Student Life Services

On-campus housing questions or concerns should be directed to Timothy Moran, Director of Housing Programs, trm4003@med.cornell.edu

On-campus meeting space is available to all GSEC clubs/organizations free of charge. Please review the process for room reservations here.

WCGS Mistreatment Policies & Support

WCGS Positive Learning Environment & Student Mistreatment Policy - The Graduate School is committed to providing an environment that fosters mutual respect and the values of professionalism, ethics, and humanism in the practice of biomedical research and its application to medicine. The Graduate School has a policy of zero tolerance for mistreatment of its students, faculty, staff and guests. An environment conducive to learning requires that faculty, students and all administrative and support staff treat each other with civility, respecting each individual’s views and background. Faculty, other trainees, administrators and staff must treat students fairly and respectfully in all settings where students are educated and are expected to create and maintain an academic environment conducive to the pursuit of free inquiry, academic integrity, and the respectful interchange of diverse ideas and differing viewpoints. The standards of conduct set forth in our Positive Learning Environment & Student Mistreatment Policy are intended to prohibit teaching and training behaviors and other practices that are discriminatory or that may undermine professionalism. The body charged with monitoring, reviewing, investigating and aiding in the resolution of mistreatment issues is the Trainer-Learner Committee (TLC).

Grievance Policy - The WCGS Grievance procedure is intended to provide a mechanism through which grievances can be fully investigated and decisions rendered. It covers grievances that involve individual graduate students on issues relating to graduate education and support. Please review the WCGS Greivance Policy online here.

Ethical Conduct and Compliance Hotline - Faculty, staff and students - as well as those outside Weill Cornell Medicine - may confidentially report activities or conduct that are believed to violate a state or federal law or Cornell University policy at: www.hotline.cornell.edu or 1-866-293-3077. This includes violations of Cornell's Standards of Ethical Conduct Policy, life safety concerns, non-compliance with grants and contract requirements, financial irregularities or misreporting, violations of applicable state or federal laws and regulations, conflicts of interest, and other related concerns. Reports may be submitted anonymously, are administered by an independent company, and will be handled promptly and discreetly. No retaliatory action will be taken against anyone for reporting or inquiring in good faith about potential violations of Cornell University's policies or for seeking guidance on how to handle suspected violations.

Sexual Misconduct and Campus Security: Weill Cornell Medical College is committed to providing an employment, education and living environment free from all acts of sexual misconduct, and will not tolerate sexual misconduct by or against students, staff, faculty, alumni or visitors. We will respond promptly and appropriately to all reports of sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct includes, but is not limited to: sexual assault, sexual violence, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, rape, domestic violence, sexual corecion and stalking. Sexual misconduct also covers sexual discrimination and sexual harassment. For more information, visit https://medicaleducation.weill.cornell.edu/student-resources/sexual-misconduct-campus-security

The NYP Weill Cornell Victim Intervention Program is an on-site organization that provides crisis intervention and support for survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, family violence, and physical assault.  For more information regarding support and campus security please go to:  http://medicaleducation.weill.cornell.edu/student-resources/sexual-misconduct-campus-security.

For other confidential issues students should contact the Student Ombudsperson, Dr. Henry Murray, who can be can be reached at 212-746-6330 and hwmurray@med.cornell.edu. For more information about the Student Ombudsperson’s role visit http://studentservices.weill.cornell.edu/student-life/student-ombudsperson.

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Weill Cornell Medicine Graduate School of Medical Sciences 1300 York Ave. Box 65 New York, NY 10065 Phone: (212) 746-6565 Fax: (212) 746-5981