Medical Form - Help and advice needed

[Dragonsaver]

I finally got a copy of the 'Physical Examination Record for Foreigner'.

I phoned the Dr. but was told since I haven't been in since '93, he is no longer my Dr. Was told to go to an after-hours clinic to get the physical. It doesn't pay to be healthy and not go to a Dr. but hypochondriacs waste the health care budget. There is no Health Care in Canada, just Sick Care

Phoned Clinic and they said that for a physical requiring an X-ray and an EKG it would cost $120.00. Geesh

The Univ that has offered me a position won't cover the cost of the medical or the visa but will pay airfare.

Anyhow I have questions:

Photo - What type of photo? Is there a specific size?
What does 'Development' mean? What does 'Nourishment' mean? What does 'Colour sense' mean?

I should know the answers so when the Dr. asks I can tell him.

PLEASE help as I would like to get this all resolved. Can't get the 'Invitation Letter' until I get the medical and can't get the visa without both. And, theoretically, they want me to start 1Sept. (logistically impossible)

[Jollyjunklass]

Hi Dragonsaver,

I just had mine done recently, it cost me 135.00, that was not including the X-ray and EKG, so make sure they are not going to charge you extra for the form itself. Because it is not a necessary medical form, OHIP didn't cover it. I am in Kitchener.

The photo is a passport photo; hopefully you scanned a copy of your passport photo or have an extra hanging around. If not, make your own, if you have a digital camera. The picture size is the size you see in that square box on the medical, or a little bigger (passport size).

Colour sense is, how well do you see colours, are you colour blind? Nourishment and development are just that, do you seem nourished and developed without malformities, I guess. Anyway the physician just fills in N, for normal. He or she fills in N for everything except blood pressure, vision, height, and weight.

Also, you may want to ask your school if they are going to require you to receive another medical upon arrival in China, many do this. So you will be double whammied with the cost. I guess some institutions don't trust our medicals so they have you redo it.

There is also such a thing as a travel clinic, they will take care of all of this if you don't have a regular doctor.

You can make it by September 1st if all is done immediately. Get the medical, fax or email it to the school, they take it to pick up your letter of invitation. They EMS that to you, will take 5 days. Take that to TO and wait there for it, that will take 2 to 3 days, from what I have gathered (that is my next step. so I will let you know). If I am organized enough. Get the visa, book the flight and off you go.

[acjade]

I had a medical before I left but the uni takes all the FT's to a Chinese clinic for another ... it's really bizarre. Very old fashioned and the equipment looked like something out of a 1930's movie set.

The uni. paid all costs... medical, visa, airfares etc.

[George61]

Yeah, you'll have to get another medical over here. Why don't you fill the first one in yourself and save the dollars?

[Mr Nobody]

Put it in the contract. It should be there, but I made sure. They wanted me to pay for it. Well, they tried it, but folded instantly when I said they should pay and organize it.

[con's fly is open]

What George said.

[Crippler]

When we came we didn't need to produce a medical to obtain our Z Visa in Houston. Just came with visa and he school took care of everything else..

[Jollyjunklass]

Hey Lei Shan,

It is not the visa offices that are asking for them, it is the schools themselves. Which I kind of understand. They probably don't want to rely on you coming there only to find out once you get there, you may not pass it, then they may be out a teacher. I have been asked to submit the medical to a few Universities, apparently they take it to their bureau to get the letter of invitation.

[Ruth]

Then maybe George's advice is good after all. (Uh, not that it isn't usually...)

[George61]

I heard that!!

[Lotus Eater]

I had the medical before I came (skipping things like ECg's and the really expensive stuff). It was nice to know that my Dr. certified that I wasn't mad!!

BUT, when I got here because there was no photo of me on the form the original university I was at did the whole process again, and paid for it.

The second university didn't ask - they assumed because I had already been working here that I was a good guy.

[Lotus Eater]

They university took me to a 'Travel Clinic' and some of the stuff was really super high tech - way beyond what we have in Oz for the same tests etc. Other stuff was so low tech I had minor hysterics laughing at it.

The contrasts really got to me. i was a bit lucky too, as generally they shuffle you from room to room and Dr. to Dr. for each test, but because of my university guanxi, one Dr took me through each testing room and stayed with me while the other Drs did their bits, Nice service.

[Mr Nobody]

The Govt needs the tests. It is required for the residency certificate or the work permit, not the school's security. It is part of the paperwork the school needs to submit to get the permits. Some failures will get you booted out of the country, such as a positive HIV test, other sexually transmitted illnesses, including some blood diseases and tuberculosis I think. I have been told that tattoos and piercings aren't taken positively either, and a sign that you might have HIV, or other perversions.

The reason (again, so I am told) they want the test again in china is that they want it in Chinese with a Chinese stamp. You can do that in your own country, if you know a Chinese Dr who can write medical chinese and has his own chop.