Ordering lab tests on yourself?

[Ruban]

Is anyone else interested in getting some lab results on themselves? Our curriculum is case based, so we often read about theoretical patients with various lab values. I now realize, however, that I don't know my own values for anything! I'd be interested in getting some blood tests on myself, and paying for them myself if I need to, since I'm curious.

Does anyone know a good way to do this? Can a person order random labs on himself without a doctor's order (assuming they don't ask insurance to pay?) If not, can one just ask a doc to order a bunch of blood tests on them?

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[Stinger86]

Go see your doctor and ask for a blood test to be done. Or, there are some medical schools (if not most) that will gladly do a blood test on you once for free if you really want it. Ask around

 

[Jaded Soul]

At my school, we had a session during Year 2 when we learned how to do phlebotomy on each other. They sent our blood for a basic metabolic panel (lytes, BUN, Cr, glucose) and CBC and we got the results the next week. If your school doesn't do that, I'm sure your primary care doc will be more than willing to order basic screening tests for you, especially if it's for educational purposes. It's good to have baseline values too.

 

[pikachu]

Yes, you clearly need the million dollar workup. Claim unintentional weight loss (+/- joint pain) and you will get every lab test ever, from the PPD to the ESR to the RF to the TSH. Work the system, baby, work it!!!!