Physical you guys took before matriculation - can someone go over it please.

[Ski2Doc]

This is very important as i have a SLIGHT disability that i would rather not disclose. I am aplying and already got into some places but dont want to ask THEM any particular questions since if it doesnt come up why ask.

Can some ppl please give a BASIC description of the physical. I am sure your vaccinations/ppd are there. However do they for example test your strengh or your bladder or eyesight? Say you have a weak bladder and gotta pee every 30 minutes. How do you do a 4hr surgery.

This is VERY important to me, please just give me a run down.

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[Cashew]

For my physical, the school sent us a form to have the doctor sign saying that "this person is healthy" basically. I took it to the doc, he asked if had any problems. I said no, he signed the form, that was that. No tests.

 

[Law2Doc]

This is very important as i have a SLIGHT disability that i would rather not disclose. I am aplying and already got into some places but dont want to ask THEM any particular questions since if it doesnt come up why ask.

Can some ppl please give a BASIC description of the physical. I am sure your vaccinations/ppd are there. However do they for example test your strengh or your bladder or eyesight? Say you have a weak bladder and gotta pee every 30 minutes. How do you do a 4hr surgery.

This is VERY important to me, please just give me a run down.

I agree with the prior poster that the physical is just a short form to be signed by your doctor and a need for updated vaccinations. But being able to refrain from using the facilities for a couple hours at a time is fairly important in med school and training. There will be times (exams, surgeries, meetings) when you will simply not be permitted to leave every 30 minutes. Similarly, having eyesight issues which make you unable to satisfy the rigors of school and training is something of you need to make schools aware - you will be asked to see and identify things in school, and certainly cannot be involved in medical procedures involving things you can't adequately see. A lot of med schools make you sign a form indicating any impairments to senses you have that could be hurdles in practicing medicine.

 

[0T6]

That said, there was a BLIND med student that graduated last year from a US school. (I forget which one, but there was a thread about it in the Spring)

 

[njbmd]

This is very important as i have a SLIGHT disability that i would rather not disclose. I am aplying and already got into some places but dont want to ask THEM any particular questions since if it doesnt come up why ask.

Can some ppl please give a BASIC description of the physical. I am sure your vaccinations/ppd are there. However do they for example test your strengh or your bladder or eyesight? Say you have a weak bladder and gotta pee every 30 minutes. How do you do a 4hr surgery.

This is VERY important to me, please just give me a run down.

Hi there,
Some schools have detailed physical exams that are done in student health. Some have forms that just list your immunizations etc. Most of this depends on the school.

Most medical schools do not care about your visual accuity. If you can get your work done, your eyesight is your own business. University of Wisconsin graduated a blind student who went into psychiatry so you do not need to see. For that matter, as a medical student, you do not need to see to retract in the OR either.

For those long surgeries, you do not drink coffee before you start (caffeine is a diuretic) urinate before you go in and with the heat (you are wearing scrubs and an outer gown), you wind up being dehydrated and not needing to urinate. After 6 hours of surgery, I am usually headed for the water cooler and not the porcelain convienence.

njbmd

 

[lattimer13]

i know a doc who had an accident during med school and ended up paraplegic...took a year off and then finished med school...then did a residency in PM&R and is now in practice.

 

[beanbean]

I had no physical before matriculating, only needed to be up-to-date on vaccinations including Hep B. Your medical history is personal and there is no need to disclose it unless you will require special accomodations or it will prevent you from performing required tasks.

 

[OSUdoc08]

This is very important as i have a SLIGHT disability that i would rather not disclose. I am aplying and already got into some places but dont want to ask THEM any particular questions since if it doesnt come up why ask.

Can some ppl please give a BASIC description of the physical. I am sure your vaccinations/ppd are there. However do they for example test your strengh or your bladder or eyesight? Say you have a weak bladder and gotta pee every 30 minutes. How do you do a 4hr surgery.

This is VERY important to me, please just give me a run down.

I never did a physical. My classmate is blind in one eye and noone at school knows this.

 

[Vanime]

I never did a physical. My classmate is blind in one eye and noone at school knows this.

Our school gave our PCPs a checklist. Except for the blood work and the typical percussion/auscultation routine, my doctor basically just asked me if I'm healthy, and of course I said yes, so she checked off most everything and sent it to my school. It wasn't a big deal at all, so you shouldn't worry.

 

[dinesh]

I never did a physical. My classmate is blind in one eye and noone at school knows this.

I have horrible vision in my left eye....and I too know of people totally blind in one eye.
All I had to get done was some HEP B shots etc.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Our school gave our PCPs a checklist. Except for the blood work and the typical percussion/auscultation routine, my doctor basically just asked me if I'm healthy, and of course I said yes, so she checked off most everything and sent it to my school. It wasn't a big deal at all, so you shouldn't worry.

Yes, I did go see the doctor and have him fill out a form on me. All that was done on me is a history. No physical, no percussion/auscultation, & no blood work.

 

[starwisher]

I think the physical I had before med school was pretty much like a physical before college or high school. I know I had blood drawn because they had to check the titers for chicken pox and hep B, that was the only thing different from my previous school physicals that I can recall. As long as any disability you have wouldn't affect your interaction with patients I don't think the school would have to know about it.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I think the physical I had before med school was pretty much like a physical before college or high school. I know I had blood drawn because they had to check the titers for chicken pox and hep B, that was the only thing different from my previous school physicals that I can recall. As long as any disability you have wouldn't affect your interaction with patients I don't think the school would have to know about it.

Did they do this because you did not have access to your shot records?

I turned in my shot records, and have never had blood drawn.

 

[starwisher]

I never went to the doctor when I had chicken pox, so I had no proof that I was immune to it, so I had to have the titers taken to show I had Ab to it. I'm not sure why they had to do the hep B titers, I got the shots when I was in high school and had my full immunization records, since I went to the same doctor's office as far back as I can remember.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I never went to the doctor when I had chicken pox, so I had no proof that I was immune to it, so I had to have the titers taken to show I had Ab to it. I'm not sure why they had to do the hep B titers, I got the shots when I was in high school and had my full immunization records, since I went to the same doctor's office as far back as I can remember.

I just told them I had chicken pox. I never had "proof."

They believed me.

 

[orientedtoself]

Say you have a weak bladder and gotta pee every 30 minutes. How do you do a 4hr surgery.

4 hours- try a 12 hour operation. Sometimes they let you out to eat. Sometimes they don't. You definitely can't leave every 30 min. I would think about getting a leg bag if I were you, or see a urologist to see if there's anything to be done about your problem.

 

[OSUdoc08]

4 hours- try a 12 hour operation. Sometimes they let you out to eat. Sometimes they don't. You definitely can't leave every 30 min. I would think about getting a leg bag if I were you, or see a urologist to see if there's anything to be done about your problem.

Or just don't become a surgeon.

 

[starwisher]

I just told them I had chicken pox. I never had "proof."

They believed me.

Maybe your school just trusts you more than mine does. Not like taking a tube of blood to verify that you reallly had chicken pox is that big of a deal.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Maybe your school just trusts you more than mine does. Not like taking a tube of blood to verify that you reallly had chicken pox is that big of a deal.

I don't want people stabbing me for no reason and then charging me for it.

 

[starwisher]

This is very important as i have a SLIGHT disability that i would rather not disclose. I am aplying and already got into some places but dont want to ask THEM any particular questions since if it doesnt come up why ask.

Can some ppl please give a BASIC description of the physical. I am sure your vaccinations/ppd are there. However do they for example test your strengh or your bladder or eyesight? Say you have a weak bladder and gotta pee every 30 minutes. How do you do a 4hr surgery.

This is VERY important to me, please just give me a run down.

You know I just reread your post and I'm curious how exactly you thought a doctor would be able to test your bladder? Anything your doctor knows about how often you pee would be from you telling him or her. Anything else would depend on how thorough a doctor you have. My doctor always did the hand squeezing stregth test and some of the other musculoskeletal exam stuff as part of my routine physicals, but I'm sure some don't. If you go to your regular doctor for the physical they'll probably do basically the same exam they did when you needed a physical for college.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

Even though your disability doesn't sound like anything to worry about, I'm posting these here just for general consumption.

Reconsidering "Disabled" Applicants - A Word from the President of the AAMC - Published in June of 2004

Medical Students with Disabilities: A Generation of Practice - Published in June of 2005

And for the record, I'm doing fine in medical school with a C-7 incomplete SCI.

 

[starwisher]

I don't want people stabbing me for no reason and then charging me for it.

Well, I was covered by my mom's insurance at that point, so the copay was the same no matter what they did to me, so it really didn't bother me. I'm sure they probably checked my cholesterol and did other routine bloodwork at the time so I would have been giving blood anyway, so what's another test tube full.

 

[Ski2Doc]

I appreciate all the responses. I DO NOT have a weak bladder but some problems with my eyesight.

 

[Rendar5]

it's probably better if your school knows this and can accomodate for you. if u're already accepted, then u're already accepted.

 

[Darth Asclepius]

Did they do this because you did not have access to your shot records?

I turned in my shot records, and have never had blood drawn.

I had to get the titers, too. I had my immunization records, but titers were required (and I had to pay almost $200 since my insurance saw no reason for it).

 

[t33sg1rl]

The hep B titer is always required, because after getting the full 3 shot series, only 80% of people are immune... so 20% of people flunk the titer, and when that happens, you need a 4th (or 5th, or 6th) hep B shot, with titers in between each one.

in short, for some of us unlucky types, you get stuck a lot before developing immunity, and the regular 3 shot series isn't all that effective.

 

[OSUdoc08]

The hep B titer is always required, because after getting the full 3 shot series, only 80% of people are immune... so 20% of people flunk the titer, and when that happens, you need a 4th (or 5th, or 6th) hep B shot, with titers in between each one.

in short, for some of us unlucky types, you get stuck a lot before developing immunity, and the regular 3 shot series isn't all that effective.

Always?

I've never had one done.

 

[odrade1]

The titer is required, (You can't work or do coursework in any of the hospitals in our area without it). However, sometimes you can get by with fewer than the 3 shots, if the circumstances are right. I had the first two shots covered by my insurance when I was an undergrad. Then I lost my insurance and couldn't afford to get the last shot and the titer. Last month (after getting insured again) my new doc noticed the hep B vaccinations in my chart & ordered a count of my antibodies for hep B. It is unusual, but it turns out I developed the required level of immunity with only 2 shots.

If you are worried about the inconvienience of hep B shots, don't be. Hep B is much worse. And you can get it from your boyfriend/girlfriend/cheating partner just as easily as you can your patients.

 

[OSUdoc08]

The titer is required, (You can't work or do coursework in any of the hospitals in our area without it). However, sometimes you can get by with fewer than the 3 shots, if the circumstances are right. I had the first two shots covered by my insurance when I was an undergrad. Then I lost my insurance and couldn't afford to get the last shot and the titer. Last month (after getting insured again) my new doc noticed the hep B vaccinations in my chart & ordered a count of my antibodies for hep B. It is unusual, but it turns out I developed the required level of immunity with only 2 shots.

If you are worried about the inconvienience of hep B shots, don't be. Hep B is much worse. And you can get it from your boyfriend/girlfriend/cheating partner just as easily as you can your patients.

Possibly in your area, but if you have the shot records in my area, it is not required.

 

[princessd3]

Quick question: I didn't finish my 3 shot Hep B series. In fact, I only had 1 shot. Is that alright? Do I absolutely have to get the rest of shots?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Quick question: I didn't finish my 3 shot Hep B series. In fact, I only had 1 shot. Is that alright? Do I absolutely have to get the rest of shots?

Most Likely. You are at risk for contracting Hep B from a patient or sex partner.

I would get a titer, for starters.

 

[princessd3]

Most Likely. You are at risk for contracting Hep B from a patient or sex partner.

I would get a titer, for starters.

No I am not a student yet and I don't have a partner so I am not concerned about that. I am just concerned that I only got one out of three shots and do not intend to get anymore until I have to for med school purposes. Is that in itself unsafe?

 

[OSUdoc08]

No I am not a student yet and I don't have a partner so I am not concerned about that. I am just concerned that I only got one out of three shots and do not intend to get anymore until I have to for med school purposes. Is that in itself unsafe?

Yes. If you wait too long, you may have to get all 3 shots.

You are at risk for contracting Hep B anytime you are around someone with an open wound.

You don't have to be having sex or in medical school to be at risk. It is easier to contract Hep B than HIV.

There is absolutely no reason to wait to get this done.

 

[princessd3]

Yes. If you wait too long, you may have to get all 3 shots.

You are at risk for contracting Hep B anytime you are around someone with an open wound.

You don't have to be having sex or in medical school to be at risk. It is easier to contract Hep B than HIV.

There is absolutely no reason to wait to get this done.

Hmmm....Ok, thanks!

 

[MSHell]

I thought the physical was more for malpractice purposes (yes, your school insures you as a student) rather than for the student's health.

 

[Law2Doc]

Most medical schools do not care about your visual accuity. If you can get your work done, your eyesight is your own business. University of Wisconsin graduated a blind student who went into psychiatry so you do not need to see. For that matter, as a medical student, you do not need to see to retract in the OR either.

While some schools will make accomodations for students with impairments as Wisconsin did, I'm not so sure they "do not care". Quite a few schools make you sign form attesting to not having any undisclosed impairment of the senses which may affect your ability to satisfy the coursework, rigors of medical school and clinical requirements. And all schools would want to know if you are blind, deaf, etc., so that they can make the necessary accomodations, assuming they are willing and able. If you cannot see, or can barely see, you simply cannot pass an anatomy practical, cannot identify histology slides, will have trouble diagnosing certain things, etc., so there is no realistic way to think you can fake it -- the school would need to make changes in their curriculum. They might, but you'd need to tell them. I don't imagine the same issues exist with those who are blind in one eye, but if accomodations would need to be made, then the schools need to know.

 

[MSHell]

While some schools will make accomodations for students with impairments as Wisconsin did, I'm not so sure they "do not care". Quite a few schools make you sign form attesting to not having any undisclosed impairment of the senses which may affect your ability to satisfy the coursework, rigors of medical school and clinical requirements. And all schools would want to know if you are blind, deaf, etc., so that they can make the necessary accomodations, assuming they are willing and able. If you cannot see, or can barely see, you simply cannot pass an anatomy practical, cannot identify histology slides, will have trouble diagnosing certain things, etc., so there is no realistic way to think you can fake it -- the school would need to make changes in their curriculum. They might, but you'd need to tell them. I don't imagine the same issues exist with those who are blind in one eye, but if accomodations would need to be made, then the schools need to know.

You're forgetting the blind guy who graduated from medical school. How did he pass anatomy and histo, did learn how to suture, venipuncture? Now I know this guy went into psych, but he did have to pass medical school first.

 

[Law2Doc]

You're forgetting the blind guy who graduated from medical school. How did he pass anatomy and histo, did learn how to suture, venipuncture? Now I know this guy went into psych, but he did have to pass medical school first.

The school totally revised the curriculum to accomodate him. Nothing wrong with that, but I'm just saying it's not like you can go to school blind, or otherwise disabled and needing accomodations, and not tell anyone.

 

[OSUdoc08]

While some schools will make accomodations for students with impairments as Wisconsin did, I'm not so sure they "do not care". Quite a few schools make you sign form attesting to not having any undisclosed impairment of the senses which may affect your ability to satisfy the coursework, rigors of medical school and clinical requirements. And all schools would want to know if you are blind, deaf, etc., so that they can make the necessary accomodations, assuming they are willing and able. If you cannot see, or can barely see, you simply cannot pass an anatomy practical, cannot identify histology slides, will have trouble diagnosing certain things, etc., so there is no realistic way to think you can fake it -- the school would need to make changes in their curriculum. They might, but you'd need to tell them. I don't imagine the same issues exist with those who are blind in one eye, but if accomodations would need to be made, then the schools need to know.

We have a colorblind kid that has trouble with histology, and they had to make accomodations for him.

My friend that was blind in one eye had no problems, because you normally look in the scope with one eye during practicals anyway.

 

[Chemguync]

Say you have a weak bladder and gotta pee every 30 minutes. How do you do a 4hr surgery.

This is VERY important to me, please just give me a run down.

Easy. Just ask the nurse (politely, don't be a jerk about it or s/he won't do it) to give you a Foley after she finishes the patient's.