Medical Experience at Woking Clinic in Vancouver

[Revenesque 2]

Hello, folks! I thought I would share my personal experience going through Woking Medical Clinic in Vancouver since I just finished it today!

Before I start, I have to say that the staff at Woking are SO SWEET. They are some of the nicest people. When I had questions and other things in regards to my application and etc., they e-mailed back within 1-2 days. Although they are extremely busy, they'll get back to you. Don't hesitate to ask them questions - they always check their e-mails.

Anyways, to my medical! I stayed at The Century Plaza hotel -- it's right across the street from The Sheraton Wall Center, and about $100 less if you go through Expedia.ca (my total cost for four nights only cost me $275). It's about a good three minute walk to the clinic. Since I had a chance to scope out the Woking Medical Clinic the night before, I knew that I had to walk all the way up through the sliding doors, and make my way on the elevator to the second floor.

I got to the clinic at about five minutes to six -- even though the appointment was scheduled at 6:30am, I knew I should be there early so I could be the first few in line. ( Word of advice: GET THERE EARLY. You do not want to be waiting long, especially since the line gets long fast!) When I got to the clinic, there were already two lovely ladies (another one from Winnipeg!) and a guy ahead of me. I was happy to be the fourth! The lady who works at Woking came in and let everyone know that we would all be in order in which we arrived. We made our way up to the second floor, and everyone was cooperative and stayed in their order, making sure to grab my number (4!) It was a packed place, with more than 20+ people waiting to get medicals done. We were told to wait until 6:30am, which we did, and then were asked to fill out two groups of papers -- one was just a single paper that states that we consented to this medical through the US government and that you just have to re-write a sentence and sign your name, and another group of about three papers. The group of three papers only requires you to fill out the first page, with a whole bunch of yes/no answers, and then signing the back of the paper. Fill this out AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, and then hand it back to the person at the desk. When I handed mine in (I was one of the first), she told me to head straight through three sets of doors, and turn right. There, I was greeted by another waiting room, where I waited (for about five minutes) for someone to call numbers. They called us up, four at a time. Us four all sat in different chairs, and there were two techs that would take blood. When the tech came to me, she drew two vials of blood, and then I was done. Off to wait into the main waiting room for my x-ray.

Five minutes later, they called us, this time in groups of six, and I was told to undress only the top, including taking off necklaces, and then put in a pinkish gown and waited in another line. The x-ray tech (who was this sweet Filipino man) just told me to stand in front of the x-ray machine, and then have my elbows on my hips and move a little forward. One snap, and I was all done. I dressed up, and then headed back into the main waiting room.

Then, I waited another five minutes, before the receptionist called me up. I put my number down on the desk, and headed to the room where they would give me my physical. She gave me my passport & vaccination sheet, etc, and then left the room. I put it away, and then I undressed all the way, as required (you get to leave your actual underwear on, but not your bra -- if you're a woman) and put a white sheet over me until the doctor came. About five minutes later, she came by. She was a cute little older woman with glasses (her name escapes me now) and she was totally sweet, asking about my fiance, what I do for a living, etc. I checked off that I was hospitalized (only because I went to the hospital after eating a nut), so she asked me about that. Then, she checked my ears and throat, along with my lymph nodes and arms. She took my blood pressure, and realized it was high because I was nervous (I really was!) so she would take it again later on. She checked my breathing in the front, and then checked it again in the back. Then, I had to lay down and she did a check on my breasts, along with my stomach. She then took my blood pressure again (normal, because I was not nervous anymore). After that, she made me walk from one end to the other end of the room, to make sure my walk & knees were okay... and then I was done! I dressed, and then the nurse took me into a mini-room beside the receptionist desk, and recorded my weight along with my height. I had a quick eye check (to make sure that my eyes were working well as I was wearing my glasses), then gave my money and I was all done! It was pretty painless, and I was happily back at my hotel for a nap at 8:00am.

I went back at about 1:50pm. They were already calling people who had some problems with their medical/vaccinations. At about 2:10pm, they started calling everyone, and I finally got mine near the end (I'm guessing because I was one of the first people). I received an envelope not to be opened and just to be given to the Consulate (I'm guessing it was that second paper with the three pages that I filled out), along with my x-ray which I get to keep. SO GLAD that everything went well, and that all I have to do now is get my interview done and approved tomorrow afternoon! Wish me luck!

If you have any questions about the medical, please let me know, and I can try and help you out (the same way this forum has for me! )

Thanks for the awesome review!

Question: Our case is still at the NVC--do I have to wait until NVC schedules an interview before I go do a medical or can I get it done early?

[lgg 2]

Hey Ravenesque...

You have to wait until you're scheduled an interview before you can get the medical done -- you actually need the notice that they send you in order to book one.

Sorry 'bout that -- would be nice though, eh?

[Revenesque 2]

Hey Ravenesque...

You have to wait until you're scheduled an interview before you can get the medical done -- you actually need the notice that they send you in order to book one.

Sorry 'bout that -- would be nice though, eh?

Sucks! LOL, oh well. My interview will be in Montreal. How much advance notice do they give you prior to the interview to get your medical done? Is it possible to get the medical done in Vancouver, then fly to Montreal for the interview?

[simistar 2]

Sucks! LOL, oh well. My interview will be in Montreal. How much advance notice do they give you prior to the interview to get your medical done? Is it possible to get the medical done in Vancouver, then fly to Montreal for the interview?

My interview date was set about five weeks after I got my letter...

The next day I scheduled an appointment for the next week with my doctor to get any vaccines I needed (for Vancouver medicals, you need to have all your vaccines done prior to the medical...or, at least have proof you've had all the required ones...)...

Once I had my vaccines I used the "book an appointment" form on the Woking website and when it asked for the best date (I think they only do them on Wednesdays) I just put "asap"...

I was scheduled in the following week!

So, you should have time, it should be fine:-)

Maybe in the meantime, while you wait for your letter, you can get whatever vaccines you need, or at least get proof of the ones you have...

Good luck!

Edited December 2, 2009 by simistar

[Revenesque 2]

Sucks! LOL, oh well. My interview will be in Montreal. How much advance notice do they give you prior to the interview to get your medical done? Is it possible to get the medical done in Vancouver, then fly to Montreal for the interview?

My interview date was set about five weeks after I got my letter...

The next day I scheduled an appointment for the next week with my doctor to get any vaccines I needed (for Vancouver medicals, you need to have all your vaccines done prior to the medical...or, at least have proof you've had all the required ones...)...

Once I had my vaccines I used the "book an appointment" form on the Woking website and when it asked for the best date (I think they only do them on Wednesdays) I just put "asap"...

I was scheduled in the following week!

So, you should have time, it should be fine:-)

Maybe in the meantime, while you wait for your letter, you can get whatever vaccines you need, or at least get proof of the ones you have...

Good luck!

Thanks, Simistar. Glad to know that I have enough time to take care of the medical requirement in my own backyard (Vancouver). re: Vaccines, do you know where I can find what vaccines I need to get (or got)? I hate needles! Gulp!

[simistar 2]

Thanks, Simistar. Glad to know that I have enough time to take care of the medical requirement in my own backyard (Vancouver). re: Vaccines, do you know where I can find what vaccines I need to get (or got)? I hate needles! Gulp!

I HATE needles too:-)

The Woking site lists what vaccines you need...

This should take you to that page on their site:

http://wokingmedical.com/Vaccinations.html

(if not, go the site, and on the upper left-hand side you'll see a drop-down list...click on "Vaccines"...)

Once you're on the page, scroll down, and they break it up into age categories... So, not sure what age you are but for example, I'll copy and paste some of the categories from the page:

19-26 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel) **See note below

MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella. ("MR" and "MM" are not enough). You need MMR

HPV - Females only. See note below

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

27-49 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel) **See note below

MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella. ("MR" and "MM" are not enough). You need MMR

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

50-59 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel) **See note below

Influenza - (only required during October - February, annually)

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

Cheers:-)

[Texanadian 10]

You were done by 8AM???

Woking must have been reading VisaJourney. Back when I had mine done (2007) it was $250'ish. But back then you showed up at 6AM. Waited.....Had blood drawn at 6:30AM.....Then the X-ray at 8AM.....Then the exam somewhere around 10:30-11AM. So all in all it was about 5 hours of sitting in their super boring lobby.

Meanwhile all the other provinces were set up so you'd go and get everything done at once and be done in an hour or two. And it was cheaper too. Like $175 for the eastern provinces.

I'll admit that $350 is a nasty bill to pay. (Wait until you get to file for AOS later LOL) But thankfully Woking has decided to speed the process up some.

[Texanadian 10]

Don't forget about having an up to date tetnus shot. I needed one, so they sent me down the street to get one. The shot was free, but I had to pay $15 for an "administration" fee at the clinic that I got it at.

[Revenesque 2]

You were done by 8AM???

Woking must have been reading VisaJourney. Back when I had mine done (2007) it was $250'ish. But back then you showed up at 6AM. Waited.....Had blood drawn at 6:30AM.....Then the X-ray at 8AM.....Then the exam somewhere around 10:30-11AM. So all in all it was about 5 hours of sitting in their super boring lobby.

Meanwhile all the other provinces were set up so you'd go and get everything done at once and be done in an hour or two. And it was cheaper too. Like $175 for the eastern provinces.

I'll admit that $350 is a nasty bill to pay. (Wait until you get to file for AOS later LOL) But thankfully Woking has decided to speed the process up some.

They're certainly not cheap! When we submitted our Canadian immigration papers, hubby got his medicals done in Seattle for $350 USD. The other doctor was charging $400 USD!

Thanks, Simistar. Glad to know that I have enough time to take care of the medical requirement in my own backyard (Vancouver). re: Vaccines, do you know where I can find what vaccines I need to get (or got)? I hate needles! Gulp!

I HATE needles too:-)

The Woking site lists what vaccines you need...

This should take you to that page on their site:

http://wokingmedical.com/Vaccinations.html

(if not, go the site, and on the upper left-hand side you'll see a drop-down list...click on "Vaccines"...)

Once you're on the page, scroll down, and they break it up into age categories... So, not sure what age you are but for example, I'll copy and paste some of the categories from the page:

19-26 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel) **See note below

MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella. ("MR" and "MM" are not enough). You need MMR

HPV - Females only. See note below

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

27-49 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel) **See note below

MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella. ("MR" and "MM" are not enough). You need MMR

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

50-59 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel) **See note below

Influenza - (only required during October - February, annually)

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

Cheers:-)

Thanks! Now I gotta look for my vaccination record. :-)

[Revenesque 2]

Well, it's that time again--my appointment with Woking is Wednesday, March 31st. I'm hoping it doesn' take 5 hours, but just in case, I'll take the day off.

[MarkYYC 0]

Thanks for the review! That calms my nerves about the medical quite a bit:) Did you get your results the same day? Do you know if that is typical?

Thanks!

Mark

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

Perhaps this thread can be closed as Vancouver medical exams are now conducted by Dr. Cheema in North Surrey.

[Ban Hammer 13,282]

Perhaps this thread can be closed as Vancouver medical exams are now conducted by Dr. Cheema in North Surrey.

and done