Chile - Medical Exam etc

[jessicaruizw 9]

hey....so when i we finished at NVC and then started our wait for the interview, i could find no info regarding medical exams in chile (except direct contact with other chilean members). So I thought I would post a topic about my experience.

In early november we got our Dec 12th interview date assigned (via email from NVC). we immediately started calling the docs (grossman and passalacqua) to set up the medical as we weren´t sure how far in advance it needed to be. We called using the info on the embassy website which isn´t correct (at least for grossman).

updated #s - passalacqua - 204-7071 / 225-3891, cel - 06-213-8391

grossman - 212-9253 / 228-0119

long story short, some people recommended passalacqua, and more people recommended dra. grossman. we decided to go with grossman bc passalacqua never answered the phone (most likely bc we had the old number, lol). anyway the secretary is a bit pesada. she only could offer us friday afternoon slots, so we took one 2 weeks prior to the interview date. it wat at 3 pm so we asked and asked about whether we would be able to get all the exams done that same afternoon (we are from conce) and she assured both me and my husband when he called that yes, no problem.

well, about a week before the medical we emailed the embassy to see if we needed any special papers (i heard conflicting info about whether the doc had the ordenes medicos or not). at first they said yes we needed the forms and they would mail them, but when we said we had dra. grossman, they said she should have them but we were welcome to pick them up at the embassy if we wished, and "OH PS here is your interview letter which you need the day of the interview." now i had alwyas thought the NVC letterwas the interview letter, so it was a good thing we emaield them!! not wanting to risk anything, we went to the embassy to pick up the forms the day of the medical. this was a good idea bc they also gave us a printed interview letter which we had to take to the doc to timbrar (again, i didn´t realy know this).

not wanting to arrive late to our appt in the afternoon, we decided to scope out the address in the morning. lo and behold we get there and the secretary is like, "we have been trying and trying to call you1!!" turns out they wanted us to come in earlier in the morning since the doc realized that 3pm might be a little late for a friday afternoon to get all the tests done. NO DUH

luckily the doc was able to come back a little earlier so we could get everything done. Dra. grossman is exceptionally nice and understanding. shes there to help you get the job done, but with a very pleasant demeanor. long story short - she had the forms, but we used the ones we picked up from the embassy anyway, she asked him a series of questions (which by going to the embassy we were able to get a sneak peek of, nothing surprising). if you have read the CDC technical instructions for panel physicians, you know what to expect.

they ask you if you have any health problems (heart, lung, diability etc), if you have a history of violent behavior, if you are addicted to drugs, etc.

she checked my husbands vaccination records, and luckily he didn´t need any! she sent us in the smae building to get the blood drawn for RPR, but then the last thing was the chest x-rays. her office is at 4100 apoquindo, en las condes. the chest xrays have to be taken at plaza italia, and the radiologist only works mornings . so we were able to get the films taken by the tech, but the radiologist couldnt fill out the forms untill monday. so dra. grossman told us to just come 1 day prior to interview and pick up the xrays and forms from the radiologist, then head to her building and she could give us the complete packet.

long story short -

the medical costs 90.000 cash unless you need vaccines which are extra. the labwork and the xrays are included in the 90.000. she gave me aboleta, so this week I am going to try and see if my isapre will reimburse me something.

you need to bring 2 of those same passport photos we have been turning in with every app, lol. don´t forget them!

if you book with dra. grossman, don´t let the secretary "poo-poo" you into accepting an appointment you know won´t work. I would see if you can get one in the morning, and find out the exact schedule of the radiologist (dra. grossman has the number of his office). if you are a santiaguino, this isn´t a problem, but for gente from the regiones, every extra night is more hotel, food, metro costs). etc.

email the embassy and ask if you need anything else before the interview, even if your NVC letter says you are good to go.

hope this helps someone!

[jessicaruizw 9]

oh and i almost forgot!! the cool thing about dra grossman is she said she would give us a copy of the vaccination records (the ones she turns into the embassy)to use in our future immigration medical exams