Medical Exam at St. Lukes

[neodragon0l 6]

Tips that we learned and confirmed about the medical exam at St. Lukes:

1. Register Online. Since St. Lukes is a first come first basis type of arrangement, it saves you a lot of minutes of completing the paperwork and it gets ahead of the line. My fiancee observed that it's a race of going from one counter to the next. The goal is to get to the physical exam list as soon as possible. Most of the people are figuring things out and waiting for someone. I suggest you don't. There are staff there who can assist you anyway, but after the first few steps, you are on your own. You want to make it to the top of the list since there is 1-2 hour wait. Like everybody else, you can finish the first set of obstacles in a few minutes (blood drawn, urine, payment, etc). For example, my fiancee was finished with everything at 7:41 AM. The physical exam section does not even open until 8:30 AM and they started late (8:45 AM). So, you wait with the rest of the group. Registering online gives you that much needed handicap.

2. Prepare your documents. This is we faltered which caused us another trip to the center.

BASICS:

- Completed Registration Form

- Valid passport

- Photocopy of Passport Biographic/Data Page, the page in the passport that contains the applicant's photo and information

- 3 pieces recent 2x2 visa photos (2 for submission to the U.S. Embassy, 1 for clinic file)

Appointment letter from the Embassy or Instruction letter from the National Visa Center (NVC), if available,

2 photocopies of your Appointment Letter/ Instruction Letter

Applicants are also required to provide the name, address and contact number of their petitioner in the U.S.A.

IMMUNIZATION RECORDS: Do not concerned if you do not have an immunization record. Your vaccination documentation will only be honored if it contains the following details: 1) personal copy (e.g. baby book)or copy of medical chart indicating received vaccines, 2) complete date of receipt of vaccination, and 3) must include signature (license number, if applicable) of doctor or health worker who administered vaccine. We opted not to hustle for the immunization record and my fiancee was fine.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATES: If you have a previously-treated or currently managed clinically significant illness, make sure you bring a medical certificate. You should get a medical certificate. We could not go through the immunization part because the staff reasoned the vaccines may have an adverse effect on my fiancee's condition. I am not so sure why because she actually had that type of vaccine a few months ago. We just did not have the record or receipt for the vaccination.

Detailed medical certificate regarding a previously-treated or currently managed clinically significant illness which should contain the following information: 1) duration and date of treatment, 2) surgical procedure or medical intervention done, 3) complete final diagnosis, and 4) outcome of treatment or treatment plans and prognosis, if available. We gave a copy of the certificate to the staff. The staff attaches the certificate to your file that will be sent to USEM.

It is also allowed to have a new physician complete the medical certificate for you. In our case, my fiancee's physician went to the US for a medical conference.

Since physicians have different legal and/or medical language on the medical certificate, double check that it has all the elements mentioned that St. Lukes required. We had to correct my fiancee's name and to say that she is fine, a new medical result was attached. We did not want USEM to construe that having such illness will be a potential public charge to U.S.

[Memphis 26]

Congrats! Thanks for the tips..

[neodragon0l 6]

I pushed the post button before I finished the post .

Tips that we learned and confirmed about the medical exam at St. Lukes:

1. Register Online. Since St. Lukes is a first come first basis type of arrangement, it saves you a lot of minutes of completing the paperwork and it gets ahead of the line. My fiancee observed that it's a race of going from one counter to the next. The goal is to get to the physical exam list as soon as possible. Most of the people are figuring things out and waiting for someone. I suggest you don't. There are staff there who can assist you anyway, but after the first few steps, you are on your own. You want to make it to the top of the list since there is 1-2 hour wait. Like everybody else, you can finish the first set of obstacles in a few minutes (blood drawn, urine, payment, etc). For example, my fiancee was finished with everything at 7:41 AM. The physical exam section does not even open until 8:30 AM and they started late (8:45 AM). So, you wait with the rest of the group. Registering online gives you that much needed handicap.

2. Prepare your documents. This is we faltered which caused us another trip to the center.

BASICS:

- Completed Registration Form

- Valid passport

- Photocopy of Passport Biographic/Data Page, the page in the passport that contains the applicant's photo and information

- 3 pieces recent 2x2 visa photos (2 for submission to the U.S. Embassy, 1 for clinic file)

- Appointment letter from the Embassy or Instruction letter from the National Visa Center (NVC), if available,

- 2 photocopies of your Appointment Letter/ Instruction Letter (NOA2 or the NVC letter is fine.)

- Applicants are also required to provide the name, address and contact number of their petitioner in the U.S.A. (This is taken care of if you did the online registration form.)

IMMUNIZATION RECORDS: Do not concerned if you do not have an immunization record. Your vaccination documentation will only be honored if it contains the following details: 1) personal copy (e.g. baby book)or copy of medical chart indicating received vaccines, 2) complete date of receipt of vaccination, and 3) must include signature (license number, if applicable) of doctor or health worker who administered vaccine. We opted not to hustle for the immunization record and my fiancee was fine.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATES: If you have a previously-treated or currently managed clinically significant illness, make sure you bring a medical certificate. You should get a medical certificate. We could not go through the immunization part because the staff reasoned the vaccines may have an adverse effect on my fiancee's condition. I am not so sure why because she actually had that type of vaccine a few months ago. We just did not have the record or receipt for the vaccination.

Detailed medical certificate regarding a previously-treated or currently managed clinically significant illness which should contain the following information: 1) duration and date of treatment, 2) surgical procedure or medical intervention done, 3) complete final diagnosis, and 4) outcome of treatment or treatment plans and prognosis, if available. We gave a copy of the certificate to the staff. The staff attaches the certificate to your file that will be sent to USEM.

It is also allowed to have a new physician complete the medical certificate for you. In our case, my fiancee's physician went to the US for a medical conference.

Since physicians have different legal and/or medical language on the medical certificate, double check that it has all the elements that St. Lukes required. We had to correct my fiancee's name and to say that she is fine, a new medical result was attached. We did not want USEM to construe that having such illness will be a potential public charge to U.S.

3. Ask questions. The physical exam especially for women is apparently daunting. My fiancee said that there were several fourteen year old girls who refused to undress because they are not comfortable. All she can say is you have no choice. The panel physician has to do physical and will look for signs of communicable diseases, scars (referring to measles), etc. The staff will not let you continue if the person has her menstruation.

The entire process is like an assembly line so the staff can go really fast with their questions and sometimes can be considered "mataray" or rude. So if the questions go too fast, do not hesitate to ask them to slow down. Your visa depends on it after all.

4. Immunization is not too bad. By the look of things, my fiance was supposed to receive three shots, at the end, my fiancee only received one shot for measles even though scarring was found. She was supposed to received the Tetanus shot, but her condition may cause an adverse reaction to the shot. Since it is currently not a flu season in the PHL, a flu shot was not given. I really wish they did though. Make sure you read the immunization record they give you before you leave. Again, refer to # 3. Ask questions. If the record is missing something or incorrect, have them fix it. If not, you most likely have to deal with it when you do your Adjustment of Status application.

Final Thoughts: St. Lukes cater to not just the US Embassy but also Australia and Canada. Be observant when the center is closed or open. Check the website or call ahead of time. My fiancee observed that the center closes early. She speculated that this gives the staff enough time to encode the tests and send it to the appropriate embassies. She finally finished her exam on 10/22/2012 and she was told that the exam will be ready for her interview on 10/25/2012. Finally, you will meet people including VJ'rs at the medical exam. This is actually comforting to know that you are not alone. There are always stories like are not believable of course. For example, my fiancee and I were on the phone while a lady was talking to her about getting her interview on a certain day and flying to the US the following day. Just take them as is and consult an attorney or someone at VJ.

Next review is the interview process.

Edited October 23, 2012 by neodragon0l

[jeff and rowela 0]

I forgot about stopping if you have your menstruation. That stressed my wife out more than anything (the worry of whether her exam date was going to fall on her menstruation day or not.)

[neodragon0l 6]

My fiancee was coerced to remembering the exact day of menstruation. I thought that's worth pointing out. lolz.

[Tintin and Mike 127]

Great tips and congrats!!!

[Tahoma 2,292]

Thanks for sharing the medical experience. Bookmarked.