Medical & Immunizations

[Kimbear 53]

In Canada you can get the immunizations done by any doctor. It is cheaper to not get them done with the panel physician

in some cases the panel physician will refuse and tell you specifically to get them from your DR. At least Dr Seiden in TO told me that.

Is this something he just asks his family doctor for? or a local walk in clinic?

I just went to the walk in clinic since i had recently moved. just had them add them to my vaccination book and i was good to go and it was free.

[NikLR 13,227]

I asked my doctor at my most recent physical about if I had antibodies to all this stuff, he looked up all the blood work they did when I was pregnant and well what do you know, I do. I had an extra test saying I was good for Hep B, and I can get my Hep A confirmation (hopefully) because it was done more recently in 2009(ish).

I assume that they won't need that from my doctor but rather can just do a blood test and figure out what I have antibodies to when I go see the panel physician or should I get a list of everything I have antibodies to BEFORE that?

[Marilyn. 340]

I asked my doctor at my most recent physical about if I had antibodies to all this stuff, he looked up all the blood work they did when I was pregnant and well what do you know, I do. I had an extra test saying I was good for Hep B, and I can get my Hep A confirmation (hopefully) because it was done more recently in 2009(ish).

I assume that they won't need that from my doctor but rather can just do a blood test and figure out what I have antibodies to when I go see the panel physician or should I get a list of everything I have antibodies to BEFORE that?

get a list signed by your doctor before that. as far as I know the panel physician won't run an antibody test

[NikLR 13,227]

Might just go to the walk in for it... I already had a physical this year and pretty much asked my doctor for this but he didn't give it to me. He's old though, maybe I need to be very specific as in: "I need a list of all the antibodies I carry to take with me to a panel physician next year. Here is a list that I need to have antibodies for, please test for these or show that I have the immunity already." LOL

[pocheros 101]

Make sure your MMR is up to date. Immunity to rubella fades over time and one of the vaccines USCIS looks for is MMR. My doctor gave me a booster before I went to the medical. Since it's flu season you'll also need a flu shot.

Yeah, there are a few vaccines that are not age appropriate for most people- this is fine. When you get your medical exam (it will be in a sealed envelope- you cannot open the envelope or it'll void its contents) you'll get a copy of your immunization worksheet, or the DS-3025. Most likely a box that says "applicant is eligible for blanket waivers" will be checked off. This is also fine. I mention it because a lot of people panic when they see this box ticked off. Do not lose this sheet because you will need it for adjustment of status.

I did not get Hep A and it didn't cause any problems, though it's certainly a good vaccination to get anyways.

Edited October 30, 2012 by pocheros

[Tom & Stacy 3]

I believe I was told that I have a 6 month bracket to get the other half of Hep A dosage. So, you have a full year before the first dosage expires and you'd need to start from scratch.

[pocheros 101]

Is Hep A absolutely required? I ask because I just recently re-did my medical with a civil surgeon (because my first medical expired) and sent the I-693 off with the rest of my AOS, and the doctor didn't give me a hep A shot, just a tetanus one, and I'm pretty sure I've never had a Hep A shot, just the other Hep ones... :S

[smrowe 12]

Make sure your MMR is up to date. Immunity to rubella fades over time and one of the vaccines USCIS looks for is MMR. My doctor gave me a booster before I went to the medical. Since it's flu season you'll also need a flu shot.

Yeah, there are a few vaccines that are not age appropriate for most people- this is fine. When you get your medical exam (it will be in a sealed envelope- you cannot open the envelope or it'll void its contents) you'll get a copy of your immunization worksheet, or the DS-3025. Most likely a box that says "applicant is eligible for blanket waivers" will be checked off. This is also fine. I mention it because a lot of people panic when they see this box ticked off. Do not lose this sheet because you will need it for adjustment of status.

I did not get Hep A and it didn't cause any problems, though it's certainly a good vaccination to get anyways.

Just be sure to get tested for this first so you don't get the MMR unnecessarily. There's a fair bit of evidence out there that, at least for women, MMR vaccines later in life are associated with higher incidences of really debilitating arthritis. If you have a job where you need to be active you'd be better off retrieving your shot record than risking your livelihood.

[Tom & Stacy 3]

Is Hep A absolutely required? I ask because I just recently re-did my medical with a civil surgeon (because my first medical expired) and sent the I-693 off with the rest of my AOS, and the doctor didn't give me a hep A shot, just a tetanus one, and I'm pretty sure I've never had a Hep A shot, just the other Hep ones... :S

No need to worry. It isn't necessary to have the Hep A shot. My family doctor wrote out a prescription for me to get it after I too showed her the crazy list of required immunizations. Back then I just thought I needed it because it was on the list. I'm 99% sure it isn't necessary though!

[VeeNDee 44]

Is Hep A absolutely required? I ask because I just recently re-did my medical with a civil surgeon (because my first medical expired) and sent the I-693 off with the rest of my AOS, and the doctor didn't give me a hep A shot, just a tetanus one, and I'm pretty sure I've never had a Hep A shot, just the other Hep ones... :S

Even though I had the first shot thanks to the crazy list, it wasn't necessary for me either - on my vaccination list he didn't even ask for or want to see anything other than the basics of MMR, varicella, TDap and if it was flu season that one. I passed my medical and my interview without it being mentioned and never got the 2nd shot either. Just going to get it now since I figured why not since I already had the first shot. Just for my own personal sake -nothing to do with bureaucracy!