Medical Exam Review and Update (Buenos Aires, Dr. Grillo)

[BrenPuchot 6]

Hey guys! I'm uploading my experience with Dr. Grillo of today! It was a very long one, but luckily it's all done!

I scheduled my interview by phone, so make sure you confirm it via email too! She answers within a day

Make sure you get on time so you are one of the first people to be taken care of! (Take the stairs for an even better position

My appointment was at 8am, I arrived a little bit before that so I waited in the lobby until the Trinidad Medical Center opened.

First, you're gonna go to the front desk and give your information for admission, then they are going to send you to another desk so you can pay the torax x ray and the VDRL blood exam.

After that you just wait in line until Dr. Grillo calls your name. I was first in line, so a woman and me entered together. She reviewed the photos, our vaccine records, plus she wrote the medical orders for the x rays, blood test and remaining vaccines (the only one that I didnt have costed me $1300 pesos in there so get them before!).

Both the xray and the blood test are taken almost two blocks from Trinidad Medical Center, around the corner at Sanatorio de la Trinidad. Did both the exams and when the xray technician told me my shot was ok and didn't need to take another one, went again to Trinidad Medical Center.

After that, I did vaccines. Later on, went to see Dr. Grillo again, for the actual medical examination.

She saw my vaccine record ocne again and wrote about it on a form.

Then she asked me a series of questions about my medical history:

Have you ever had depression?

Have you ever tried to kill yourself?

Have you ever had TB?

" " " " HIV (and more diseases)?

Do you have kids or were you ever pregnant?

Do you smoke?

Do you have a history of alcohol or drug abuse?

Were you ever hospitalized?

Have you ever had a surgery?

Do you take meds for any treatment (birth control counts)?

Do you wear glasses?

aaaaaaaaaand some other I can't recall at the second

- Eye exam with and without glasses

- Body weight and height

- Heart control

- Stomach/torax control

- Inside of mouth

- And genital control for STDs. You just have to open your legs for a quick sec so nothing to worry about.

This was at about 11am, she told me to get back at 12.30. Did so, but the results were ready by 2.45 . Good thing there is a free coffee machine in there!

After she got the results, she called the people that was waiting for them and gave us the xray results with the vaccines certificate, and she said it would be useful at the POE just in case the health department asks for it.

After that, she put all the forms we filled out before, with the blood test results in an envelope, and told me that the medical exam was approved, handed me said envelope.

If you are in a medical treatment, Dr Grillo herself takes the closed envelope to the embassy. Make sure you do not open it or break it or damage it, since it's a very important document. (Said in this site a million times but too many is not enough!).

Dr. Grillo is a very nice, friendly person so there is nothing to worry about!

General advise

• Bring something to read or to do! Be patient.
• Bring some extra money for vaccines in case you have some missing cause they are expensive there. They accept debit and credit though. Dr. Grillo charges $520 pesos, the xray and blood test were $230 pesos, and my HPV vaccine $1300 pesos.
• Bring some extra money for food and drinks too or bring your own snacks from home because you're gonna be there for a LONG TIME. There is a Jumbo supermarket two blocks from there and multiple strores and cafes in the area.
• Tell the truth about everything and be precise and clear with your statements.
• Before leaving your house or hotel, make sure you have everything that is requested and have info at hand (addresses, case number and photos). If you didn't get your pictures taken, there is a place on Santa Fe Avenue where you can get them taken.
• Get your vaccines in advance! Take advantage of our good public health system and you'll avoid to pay crazy amounts like the $3400 pesos a woman had to pay for her shots.
• No need to get nervous! Think of it as a normal doctor's appointment!
• The results are only valid for six months, so I'd get them done only a couple weeks before the interview, just in case you need a second interview with the consul, or you need to submit more papers, or have any problem that would postpone your arrival to the US.

Hope this information is useful to all of you applying at Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Edited February 23, 2016 by BrenPuchot

[mingo66 0]

Hello BrentPuchot

If you are so kind, can you tell me what is the vaccine that are requested by Dr. Grillo, and which one is the one that you didn´t have? you put HPV but the HPV ( the one for the papiloma sindrome) is not in the list for the vaccines need it? can you please tell me.

I understand that you have your interview tomorrow in the Argentina Embassy, can you please let me know after the interview what they are asking or requesting?

And of course good luck for your interview!! I am waiting for my interview appointment

[BrenPuchot 6]

Hello! Yup, it's HPV and it was recently added by the Embassy (I didn't know either, so I had to pay for it :/). It is applied on women, specially younger girls that are not sexually active, according to a friend's mom who is a Gynechologist (I am 22 and married so...) So I basically don't know why I had to get it! The doctor has a chart with the vaccines you need according to your gender and age.

I had my "Libreta Sanitaria" done in 2014 so I had my vaccines then. Check the adult vaccine calendar and you'll find the ones you need!

I am pretty excited about tomorrow and definitely will keep you posted, thank you for the good wishes!

Though you will get an interview letter soon with the things you need to bring so don't worry!

I am here in case you have a question

[mingo66 0]

Hello! Yup, it's HPV and it was recently added by the Embassy (I didn't know either, so I had to pay for it :/). It is applied on women, specially younger girls that are not sexually active, according to a friend's mom who is a Gynechologist (I am 22 and married so...) So I basically don't know why I had to get it! The doctor has a chart with the vaccines you need according to your gender and age.

I had my "Libreta Sanitaria" done in 2014 so I had my vaccines then. Check the adult vaccine calendar and you'll find the ones you need!

I am pretty excited about tomorrow and definitely will keep you posted, thank you for the good wishes!

Though you will get an interview letter soon with the things you need to bring so don't worry!

I am here in case you have a question

Hello BrenPuchot!!

Thank you so much for your answer you are very kind!

I am will going with my wife after I get the interview appointment, we both are 53 years old, this is very weird that they ask for this vaccine because it is just like you said, anyway I am going to send an email to this Doctor and see if my wife is going to need it, because we are from Cordoba- and we dont have too much time to lose in Baires.

Please let us know about your interview I wish you the best luck!! we will keep our fingers cross!!

[BrenPuchot 6]

Thank you!

Make sure you pack Fernet when you go to the US!

If she's 53 she may need some more vaccines, the lady that i talked with (the one who paid like 3500 pesos) was 60 and needed the herpes zoster vaccine buy not the HPV so every case is different!

Xoxo and I'll get in touch tomorrow

[mingo66 0]

Thank you!

Make sure you pack Fernet when you go to the US!

If she's 53 she may need some more vaccines, the lady that i talked with (the one who paid like 3500 pesos) was 60 and needed the herpes zoster vaccine buy not the HPV so every case is different!

Xoxo and I'll get in touch tomorrow

I will pack a couple of Fernet bottles I hope so!

One last question, did the Doctor asked for the (vacuna de la gripe o influenza)?

Thanks a lot!!!

[BrenPuchot 6]

Yes she did but in Argentina its available since April or May, so it is "forgiven" not to have it cause they havent arrived yet

[mingo66 0]

Muchas gracias por tu ayuda!!!

[rosario33 0]

"And genital control for STDs. You just have to open your legs for a quick sec so nothing to worry about."

My wife's exam is right around the corner. Can you be slightly more specific about this? Is it invasive (do they use a speculum and look inside), or is it a quick (outside only, internal exam or touching) visual. I'm sorry to have to ask this here, I just want to help her be at ease during the interview, she's pretty nervous about the whole thing. Thank you in advance.

[BrenPuchot 6]

Literally its two/three seconds of opening wide if you know what i mean.

No tools used!

Hope everything goes great!!

Edited March 25, 2016 by BrenPuchot

[kara&mati 33]

Hello,

I have a question regarding the medical. Some are saying it's only one day and you get your results and others are saying it is done in 2 days. Also how far in advance should we book the appointment? Thank you ?

Literally its two/three seconds of opening wide if you know what i mean.

No tools used!

Hope everything goes great!!

[swalker 137]

Thanks so much for this post, Bren!