Medical Exam Review

[sorchaine 10]

This is the medical exam review from my fiancé who had his medical done earlier today.

MEDICAL EXAM

Today I made my medical examination, with one of the registered Medical Doctors of the Consulate of the United States in Rio de Janeiro, Dr. Joaquim Duarte Silva.

As you can see in this link http://www.embaixada-americana.org.br/pdfs/InstrExmMedMarco2010.pdf there's a full list that the United States Embassy accept in many cities in Brazil. As for Rio de Janeiro, we have 4 options, being distributed in 3 different neighbors, Botafogo (2 Medical Doctors, same building, same office), one at Leblon, and Dr. Joaquim Duarte at Castelo (in front of the Consulate, just across the street).

After me and Sara read several reviews at the Visa Journey Forum, many people said very good reviews regarding Dr. Joaquim, that was a good thing, another, the fact his office is located just across the street of the Consulate of United States, made for me, a good difference.

Review:

My first contact with his office was back in April 16, I called his office and the lady (his secretary) asked me right on what was my e-mail and she would be mailing me all the instructions for the medical exam. In that time, she told me that they only schedule appointments after you have your interview date set. Well, very good, by the time I had hang off the phone, I opened my mail box and there was already their e-mail with all the instructions.

Later, with our interview date scheduled, I called again and could schedule my appointment. Again she sent me the e-mail with the instructions.

As the e-mail is all in Portuguese, I'll make it short with the information:

Documents required:

- Passport

- 3 pictures 3x4

- Case Number (if have)

The appointment can be made 1 day prior of the interview.

Blood exam:

V.D.R.L. (Syphilis) - Can be made at the Doctor office, or there's two laboratories that Dr. Joaquim accept: Laboratório Sérgio Franco or Laboratório Lâmina. Both in same street, Ouvidor Street.

If you have health insurance, I would suggest the Laboratório Lâmina, they have a very nice phone service support for all questions, good quality of employees, you can see your results before hand at the internet.

X-Ray:

Seems you can do it at the office of the Doctor, or also at a single clinic very close of the Doctor's office, Clínica Radiológica Dr. Lauro Coutinho, located at the Araujo Porto Alegre Street, the clinic accept health insurance, and the results you get as soon you make the exam, just a wait time of about 20-30 minutes.

For women, is needed to make a gynecologic exam (well, that do not apply to me, hehe), Dr. Joaquim accepts the exam made by Dra. Márcia Grimberg located at the Uruguaiana Street.

Vaccines:

There's in many websites graphics or tables with the correct vaccines each person should have, regarding their age.

Since I lost my Vaccine registration, I had to take all the ones that applied to me:

At the "Posto de Saúde" I could get

- TD (only at "Postos de Saúde)

- MMR (also, this one you can get on the Doctor's office for a fee of R$ 70.00)

At the doctor's office, during the exam he applied on me the Varicella vaccine, as I've never had the disease before, this one has a price of R$ 150.00)

The Exam

I got 40 minutes in advance of my scheduled appointment time, the secretary asked me for all the required documents, plus my X-Ray and Blood Exams, she started to fill part of the forms, and soon I got invited to enter the Doctor office itself. Dr. Joaquim seemed to be nice, a bit serious, made the questions on the form in a straight way, without making trick questions or nothing like that, everything went fine and very fast during the questions (yes / no), I did a small amount of jokes due the content of questions we need to go through (besides me and Sara we had already read all the medical forms and what should I expect).

During the physical exam, he asked about my fiancée, where she lived, we could chat a bit as I talked good things about his specialization (as he is a "Intensivista"), my blood pressure was a bit high (my usual by the way) - 140 / 90 mm/Hg - he said that could be because my stature and weight, and he said " - Oh well, your interview is soon, you must be stressed, so that's also cause blood pressure to be high ", explained that would not be a problem at all at the documents and forms for the consulate, also kept chatting and saying that it's hard to see a K1 case be denied, unless the person has not clean criminal records, or has overstayed a visa before.

In the end, I had to ask " So Doctor, did I passed? Am I approved? (laughs) " and he answered a yes. Then he said " - Good luck on the interview and on your marriage Carlos, by the way, the interview is easy, the hard is the marriage! Good luck! "

Well, maybe it's a Brazilian way... all the bureaucracy we need to bring the medical exam forms sealed in a form and etc, but the secretary told me (and another patient, a fiancée in the case), we should go take xerox of the documents 2 copies of the first form (where goes our pictures), and 1 copy of the form DS-3025, the copy of DS-3025 we keep with us, to proceed for the Adjustment of Status when at the United States. By the next street, has a place that makes copies (xerox), and besides the long lines, we could come back, and wait again for the doctor sign all the new copies, the secretary put all the documents into a folder, staple it, and then put a seal over.

Interesting, when I was at the office, 2 weeks before, and got his requests of X-Ray and blood exams, his stamp was a Brazilian traditional medic, at the folder he use another stamp in English, with his name, MD, and what he is regarding the U.S. Consulate.

So, be prepared to wait a total of 2 - 3 hours for the total process, specially if you plan in do everything by the office. The exam with the doctor itself even with vaccines is very fast and last about 20 minutes.

Prices at office:

Appointment: R$ 220.00

Blood Exam: R$ 80.00 (might be wrong, didn't paid attention at the other patient talking)

X-Ray: R$ 20.00

Vaccines:

- MMR: R$ 70.00

- Varicella: R$ 150.00

For the ladies: Gynecological exam at the other office - R$ 80.00

Dr. Joaquim Duarte Silva

Telephone: (21) 2220-4688

FINAL REVIEW:

RECOMMENDED

[sorchaine 10]

RELAÇÃO DOS PROCEDIMENTOS A SEREM REALIZADOS PELOS CANDIDATOS AO VISTO DE IMIGRAÇÃO

Consulado Geral dos EUA / Seção Rio de Janeiro.

CONSULTÓRIO DO DR. JOAQUIM DUARTE SILVA

Médico Credenciado pelo Consulado dos EUA (Rio de Janeiro)

Endereço:

Rua México, 21 / sala 1901-A (Em frente ao Consulado Americano)

tel.: (21) 2533-1311

Documentos necessários para a consulta:

- Passaporte;

- 3 Fotos 3x4 (recentes).

- Se possuir, o No. do Processo ("Case Number").

Obs.: A consulta poderá ser feita até 1 (um) dia antes da entrevista.

Valor da consulta: R$ 220,00 (duzentos e vinte reais)

PROCEDIMENTOS:

Exame de sangue:

Necessários para todos os candidatos a partir de 15 anos.

Exame: V.D.R.L. (sífilis) Só poderá ser feito no Município do Rio de Janeiro, nos laboratórios indicados abaixo ou através de encaminhamento pelo consultorio, onde o resultado sairá no mesmo dia. Não é necessário estar em jejum.

SÉRGIO FRANCO - Somente na filial da rua do Ouvidor, nº 75/8º andar.

LABORATÓRIO LÂMINA - Somente na filial da rua do Ouvidor, nº 88.

Rx de Tórax:

Necessário para todos os candidatos a partir de 15 anos. Só poderá ser feito no Município do Rio de Janeiro, na Clinica Radiologica Dr. Lauro Coutinho - rua Araujo Porto alegre, 71/606 - tel: 2220 4688.

Laudo Ginecológico:

Necessário a todas as candidatas a partir de 15 anos.

Laudo médico descrevendo o estado das mamas e genitália, que deverá ser fornecido por um ginecologista de sua confiança, em papel timbrado com assinatura e carimbo (c/ registro profissional).

Opção para etendimento no Rio de Janeiro:

Dra. Márcia Grimberg - Ginecologista

Rua Uruguaiana, 10/504 - Atendimento às 3ªas feiras, das 09:00h até às 17:00h e às 5ª feiras, de 13:00h até as 19:00h - Tel.: 2507 3405/ 9989 9924

Vacinas:

Na documentação enviada pelo Consulado dos EUA há uma lista de vacinas que deverão ser tomadas até a entrevista. A indicação de cada uma delas é baseada na faixa etária do candidato e na verificação da carteira de vacinação pelo médico na hora da consulta.

Havendo necessidade de aplicação de alguma vacina, a mesma será providenciada por este consultório.

Vacinas:

Varicela (Catapora) - Caso não tenha tido a doença.

Faixa etária: a partir de 01 ano de idade

R$ 150,00

MMR ( Sarampo + Caxumba + Rubéola)

Faixa etária: de 01 a 52 anos

R$ 70,00

Hepatite B

Faixa etária: de 0 a 19 anos

R$ 70,00

Meningococcica

Faixa etária: de 11 a 18 anos

R$ 120,00

Pneumonia

Faixa etária: do nascimento a 59 meses e a partir de 65 anos

R$ 70,00

Influenza (Gripe)

Faixa etária: a partir de 50 anos

R$ 70,00

Vacinas exigidas pelo Consulado Americano, que só tem NO POSTO DE SAÚDE

TD (Tétano e Difteria) - Faixa etária: a partir de 07 anos

DTP - 2 meses a 6 anos

HIB - 2 meses a 4 anos

Pólio - 2 meses a 17 anos

Rotavirus (oral) - 2 meses a 6 meses

Hepatite A - 12 meses a 23 meses

Mais informações estamos à disposição.

Atenciosamente

Luiza / Joice - secretárias do Dr. Joaquim Duarte Silva