Student Health Advocacy Resource Program (SHARP)
SHARP is an anonymous referral and advocacy service for medical students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. SHARP provides a confidential space to talk, guidance to available resources, and ongoing support and follow-up for medical students.
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When should I contact SHARP?
Anytime you would like to speak with someone, SHARP can be a great resource! In the past, SHARP has talked to students about life adjustments/transitions, depression, academic worries, anxiety, relationship issues, taking a leave of absence, eating problems, problems with drugs and alcohol, sleep concerns, and the daily stressors that can come with being a medical student. Students can come to SHARP about a personal concern or about someone else who may need support. Even if you’re not sure if something is concerning, you are invited to come and chat with us and we can figure it out together. No matter is too small!
I have a problem. How do I know if SHARP is the right organization to contact?
If you are unsure of the appropriate organization to contact, feel free to contact SHARP! SHARP will happily refer you to additional student organizations and/or providers that can help you with your concerns.
I'm worried about a friend/peer and don't know what to do.
SHARP can help. We are here to talk with you about anything. We can provide resources and guidance for you to support your friends/peers or we can reach out to them directly. Your identity will remain anonymous as will the identity of your friend/peer. SHARP will only break anonymity if there is an immediate concern for someone’s safety.
What else does SHARP do?
SHARP strives to improve the quality of life of medical students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. To do this, we hold a number of events throughout the year, including lunch talks, social get-togethers and wellness-themed events. If there is anything else you feel SHARP could do to improve your medical school experience, please contact any one of us to let us know!