SLEC Medical Exam Experience - November 2016

[snowcat 58]

Just recounting my experience for a more updated walkthrough (plus tips!) for those who have yet to take their medical exam at SLEC. Just a fair warning, though: this is going to be a very long and thorough post!

A bit of a background: my interview is scheduled sometime during the first week of January, but I decided to do the medical this last week of November because my family and I will be traveling in December and I most likely won't have time to do it later. And I didn't want to risk having my visa interview before our trip either, in case my passport gets held up at the USEM - which would lead to more issues and stress! Having your medical done in advance should be ok though, as long as you leave for the U.S., get married, and change status (someone correct me if I'm wrong here!) before the medical exam validity expires (6 months from when you took it).

DAY 1

I arrived at SLEC at 4:30AM on a Monday. I know, it was probably the worst time to go, but I had a LOT going on for the rest of the week and it was really just the best time for me to do it. There was already a pretty long line at that hour (which I half expected).

TIP FOR THOSE WHO PLAN ON DRIVING: there is a small parking lot right beside SLEC that opens around 6AM (this is an educated guess, based on my driver's observation - I just know for sure that it wasn't open at 4:30AM when we got there). ₱30 for the first 2 hours, ₱10 for every succeeding hour. I highly suggest getting there at 6AM, though, because it gets REALLY packed by 7AM, and I'm pretty sure it's not open yet before then. There is also street parking, but it costs a whopping ₱100 - though it's good for 8 hours, it's still the same price if you end up staying for less than that. There is no assurance of you getting a parking slot though (it's very limited), so I don't suggest driving there yourself. Would be good if you had someone drive you there (drivers can double-park in the parking lot as long as the car is attended to the whole time), or take an Uber/Grab/cab instead.

STEP 1: GUARD'S PODIUM AT ENTRANCE

I was given the number 59 when we finally got to the guard's podium (I spent around 1.5 hours in line).

THINGS THE GUARD ASKED OF ME:

1. Passport
2. Photocopy of Passport's Bio Page
3. NVC Letter (either the one sent to your USC fiance or from your Packet 3, if you received it - pretty sure an email from NVC if you don't have either works just as fine, too)
4. Appointment Confirmation x 2 (if available only - really NOT necessary)
5. SLEC Registration Page
6. 4 pcs 2x2 I.D. pictures (with your full name written at the back)---the "hustlers" (people who try to sell you overpriced ballpens and passport covers) outside said I.D. pics need to have you in a collared shirt, but I'm not sure how true that is (I was in a collared shirt already in my I.D. pics, though, which I had done just in case!)

TIP FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO TIME TO PHOTOCOPY/HAVE THEIR I.D. PICS TAKEN BEFORE MEDICAL: there is a photocopy and I.D. photo store right across SLEC, and they are open at 4:30AM (probably earlier). Not sure how much it is for I.D. pics, but it's ₱2/page for photocopies (expensive, but expected). They can Photoshop a collared shirt onto you in your I.D. pic, too, just FYI.

STEP 2: REGISTRATION

I waited another hour or so to get to the Registration counter. Once there, I was asked a few questions about my travel history, past visits to the U.S. (if any), and the visa I am applying for. After, my picture was taken and my fingerprint scanned.

THINGS ASKED OF ME AT REGISTRATION COUNTER:

1. Everything the guard asked me (as detailed above)
2. Photocopies of other, recent U.S. visas, if any (I had an expired student visa from 2014 and a valid tourist visa expiring 2025)---if you don't have photocopies of these, no worries, you can just give them at Releasing on Day 2 of your medical

STEP 3: CASHIER

After the Registration Counter, I was told to proceed to the Cashier at the 3rd floor. It will be at the right, once you get out of the elevator, or straight to the left if you used the stairs. Someone will be there to direct you, too. There, I paid the exorbitant fee of ₱16,042.50. Truly a mind-boggling, heart-stopping amount, let's be honest here... but we really just have no choice! You will be given a receipt + a checklist stapled to it. Do not lose these pieces of paper! You will need to give this to the counter at every step, to have your name called.

STEP 4: X-RAY

Give your receipt & checklist to the counter and wait for your name to be called. You'll be given some forms to fill out, and to declare if you've had any history of TB (tuberculosis). FOR WOMEN: you will also be asked about the first day of your last period (know the date before going, you will be asked this 214098 times!!!). I waited around 30-40 minutes. Then I entered the X-ray room, where there was one dressing room and a larger waiting area. The other applicants and I just got dressed/undressed at the waiting area, since we didn't want to have to wait for the person inside the dressing room to finish. You will need to remove your top and bra and wear a gown. You also need to put your hair up, if your hair is long.

TIPS FOR THE X-RAY STEP: Bring hair bands, to put your hair up (but if you don't have any, no worries, they have a hair clip you can borrow). Try not to wear a necklace, as you'll only have to remove it for this step. Also, don't wear a dress, unless you don't mind being only in your panties under your gown (the back side will be open). You are allowed to wear pants and shoes.

STEP 5: LABORATORY

This was at the 4th floor, I believe (not 100% sure!). Waited around 30 minutes to be called. I was asked when I last peed and when my last period was (again!). They took a blood sample from me, and I had to return after an hour to provide my urine, because:

TIP FOR THE LABORATORY STEP: DO NOT PEE while waiting for this step. Actually, try not to pee at all after paying at the cashier (if you can hold it), because you need to provide a urine sample that has been in your bladder for at least an hour after you last urinated. I foolishly peed while waiting for this step (despite me knowing I had to pee for this step anyway - I don't know what I was thinking), thus the reason I had to go back in an hour! If you really can't hold it in, though, just pee (let's not risk you getting a UTI here). You can just do the next step (and still be productive), like I did, while waiting an hour for your pee to be urine-sample-worthy.

STEP 6: IMMUNIZATION INTERVIEW

This is done at the 2nd floor. At the interview, they will ask questions about your health history: if you've had so and so diseases, if you've had animal bites/scratches before and if you were given rabies/tetanus shots for that, if you've been admitted to the hospital in the past, etc. Pretty easy stuff, and the lady giving me the interview was very nice.

TIPS FOR IMMUNIZATION INTERVIEW: Know where your chickenpox scars are (if any) to prove you've had chickenpox before and not need a vaccine for that anymore.

STEP 7: PHYSICAL EXAM

I was first called for my weight to be taken. Then I had to sit down and wait. Then I was called again for my blood pressure and temperature. Sit down and wait. Then I was called again for my height and eye test (bring your glasses or wear contact lenses if you have poor eyesight!). Sit down, and prepare for the longest wait of your day. Not even kidding. It was really bad. Like 2.5 hours bad. You could literally watch an entire movie while waiting. Not cute.

After dying from utter ennui and lack of sleep, I was finally called. I praised the heavens and tried my best to regain the ability to walk (as I seemed to have temporarily misplaced it, sitting for that long in those stupid, uncomfortable plastic chairs you're supposed to wait in). And as though the gods were playing a trick on me, I rose from the seats at the waiting area only to be asked to sit again, in one of the seats line up outside the doctor's clinic I was to enter. I had to wait for another 20 minutes. On top of the 2.5 hours. At this point, feeling extremely famished on top of everything else, I had lost any semblance of joy and was seriously questioning the importance Filipinos place on efficiency in this godforsaken country.

Anyway, enough of my drama. At the physical, I was asked a series of questions in rapid succession. I can't remember it all, but these were some of the questions:

• History of so and so disease/s? (There were so many!)
• History of mental illness? Depression? Suicide tendencies?
• Are you on any sort of medication?
• Any history of STDs?
• Do you smoke?
• Any experience with marijuana, shabu?

After the questions, the doctor (female if you are female, and vice-versa) will ask you to strip naked and wear a gown. She will then inspect all of you, but very quickly (just a poke, squeeze, or glance for each part), so it's not too awkward, if you're worried about this part.

STEP 8: U.S.A. COUNTER

This is right outside the doctor's clinic where you get your physical. I left my receipt and checklist at the USA counter and was, again, as always, asked to wait. Then I was given my receipt back with instructions to return the next day for my results.

DAY 1 TOTAL DURATION: 9 HOURS (!!!) or 4:30AM-1:00PM

DAY 2

No need to arrive ridiculously early for this day, just go at the time written on your instructions paper. I had to come back at 9:00AM on this day, but I woke up late (lol) and arrived around 10:20AM instead. No worries if you're late, it doesn't matter too much.

STEP 1: GUARD'S PODIUM INSIDE BUILDING

Go straight to the guard's podium inside (to the right) and present your receipt. He will look your PDS (it's the number they give you at the start of the medical) up and stamp your receipt with the next thing you have to do. If you get stamped with IMMUNIZATION that means you passed the medical exam and don't need to do much else except get your vaccines! I was thankfully stamped with "immunization" and told to proceed to the 2nd floor to get my shots.

STEP 2: IMMUNIZATION

If you think this second day would mean less waiting, because, you know, it's just the releasing of your results and a couple shots, right? WRONG. WAITING IS APPARENTLY AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS WITHOUT WHICH YOUR SLEC EXPERIENCE CANNOT BE WHOLE. I waited another 1.5 hours just to get shots. Yup. I even left and had some breakfast at McDonald's in the middle of waiting (yes, you can do that) because I just can't anymore. But when I came back it still wasn't my turn. Of course. I waited like 30 more minutes.

I got 2 vaccines when I finally got called into the Immunization Room. Then I was told to go downstairs to the Releasing Area.

STEP 3: RELEASING

Again, if you think releasing shouldn't be so bad, because they're only gonna just have to literally release your information to you, which they have had since the end of yesterday, I mean it just makes logical sense for that to be a fast process---WRONG! I don't know why or how - perhaps sloths reminiscent of those from Zootopia run the place idek, but it took them another ~2 hours to give me my results back. I could have watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them instead. Absolutely ridiculous. ANYWAY, so I get called after 2 hours of questioning my existence and life itself, and, after some questions, was given my documents sealed in a DO NOT OPEN envelope (to be taken to the Embassy for my interview) and a CD of my X-ray + a piece of paper to be given to the immigration officer at the airport when I arrive in the U.S.! FINALLY FINISHED OMFG NO MORE LONG HOURS OF WAITING AND HAVING EXISTENTIAL CRISES BECAUSE OF IT LET US CELEBRATE AND EAT CHICKENJOY

DAY 2 TOTAL DURATION: ~4 HOURS or 10:20AM - 2:30PM

Hope this long-### post helps everyone else who still need to do their medical! And I do apologize for the over-dramatic narration, but hope that you were at least mildly humored by my rather unfortunate predicaments. ;p

Edited November 24, 2016 by snowcat

[Sagot 1,548]

Good write up!

If you waited until 9-11AM to arrive the first day you would have easily been done without the crowd and waiting to check-in

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Wow, best write up I have seen in years. Thanks for sharing.

[MarkPerry 488]

I arrived at SLEC at 4:30AM on a Monday. I know, it was probably the worst time to go, but I had a LOT going on for the rest of the week and it was really just the best time for me to do it. There was already a pretty long line at that hour (which I half expected).

That was your first mistake. Falling in line at 4:30 am on Monday morning.

If you would of went Wednesday around 11 am I bet you could of been done in about one hour.

[Tahoma 2,291]

Thanks for sharing your story! It was very detailed and it was funny too.

By the way, your English rocks!

[snowcat 58]

Good write up!

If you waited until 9-11AM to arrive the first day you would have easily been done without the crowd and waiting to check-in

Wow, best write up I have seen in years. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing your story! It was very detailed and it was funny too.

By the way, your English rocks!

Thanks everyone!

Edited November 25, 2016 by snowcat

[snowcat 58]

That was your first mistake. Falling in line at 4:30 am on Monday morning.

If you would of went Wednesday around 11 am I bet you could of been done in about one hour.

I doubt anyone would ever be done in an hour. There were still a lot of people at 11AM, and the minimum wait time for each step is 30 minutes. Plus the next day I went at 10:20AM and still had to wait like crazy. I don't think anyone can avoid waiting. And yes, I know I could have gone on another day, but as said, I had other engagements the rest of the week, and so Monday was the best time for me to go, which I also know is the busiest day. That's why I decided to play it safe and go extremely early anyways. Also because I had an appointment that afternoon (which I still made, thankfully). It all turned out okay for me, even with all the waiting - it was annoying at the time, but now I just look back and laugh at it. It's all good.

But for everyone else who has more time during the middle of the week, I would suggest going on Wednesday or Thursday, as I hear those are the best days to go, and you can show up at like 9-10AM. There will be no parking anymore at that hour though, so best to take public transpo or rideshare or cab.

Edited November 25, 2016 by snowcat

[MarkPerry 488]

I doubt anyone would ever be done in an hour. There were still a lot of people at 11AM, and the minimum wait time for each step is 30 minutes. Plus the next day I went at 10:20AM and still had to wait like crazy. I don't think anyone can avoid waiting. And yes, I know I could have gone on another day, but as said, I had other engagements the rest of the week, and so Monday was the best time for me to go, which I also know is the busiest day. That's why I decided to play it safe and go extremely early anyways. Also because I had an appointment that afternoon (which I still made, thankfully). It all turned out okay for me, even with all the waiting - it was annoying at the time, but now I just look back and laugh at it. It's all good.

But for everyone else who has more time during the middle of the week, I would suggest going on Wednesday or Thursday, as I hear those are the best days to go, and you can show up at like 9-10AM. There will be no parking anymore at that hour though, so best to take public transpo or rideshare or cab.

My wife did the CFO first and then went to the Medical Exam same day, she was done in about 1 hour for medical exam.

[moneyman76542 5]

I died at the "At this point, feeling extremely famished on top of everything else, I had lost any semblance of joy and was seriously questioning the importance Filipinos place on efficiency in this godforsaken country." 

 

Thanks for sharing

[RhineMaiden 23]

Great post! Informative and I'm sure a lot of people find it very helpful.

 

I'm the OP of the pinned post SLEC Medical Exam Walkthrough, I'm surprised it's still pinned, lol!! It seems nothing much has changed throughout the entire process except for the fee, understandably. I'm a little surprised though that after almost a decade, despite all the technology, the waiting part is still ridiculously long. wow!

[Nurse123456 0]

Is st.lukes open mondays to sunday? 

 

[Hank_ 9,174]

4 hours ago, Nurse123456 said:

Is st.lukes open mondays to sunday? 

 

Nope

 

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/medical---slec.html

[momoj 0]

Thank you! A helpful post indeed.

[weddas 39]

Is the process still the same now?

[Hank_ 9,174]

For the most part it is the same.

 

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/medical---slec.html