Originally Posted by Englishmum

We had an odd experience yesterday when we went for our medical exam for our green card application.

I chose a doctor from the 'approved' USCIS list and he sounded rather old when I made the apointment. When my husband and I got there he must have been at least 80 years old; I suspect that all he does is immigration medicals as his son also works in the same practice and concentrates on other medical matters.

It's too long-winded and difficult to get our medical records from England (the FHSA recalled them from our doctor and they're offsite in some storage facility. We would have to get our old surgery to request our records, get them sent from the storage facility to the FHSA and then back to the surgery, where a 'medically trained' staff member could forward our vaccination records to us). Fortunately I had a few boosters when I went to India so all I need is an MMR.

Anyway, after drawing some blood for the compulsory AIDS test, the doc asked my husband to leave the room and said he needed to see my genitals (!). He did call a nurse into the room and asked me to drop my knickers and raise my skirt....had a quick look - didn't touch - and I asked him why he needed to do this, was it to check that I was actually a female? He said it was to check that I didn't have a venereal disease (so why wouldn't this be obvious from the blood test then?).

He was going to do a 'cough and drop' test on my husband but he was on the verge of passing out after his blood was drawn so the doc just had a quick peer at his 'package' as well. We then went off to a diagnostic clinic to get X rays to show that our lungs are clear ($50 each).

We have to return next week for the MMRs....but the doc asked us to pay $370 on the spot for the two of us. He wouldn't take credit cards and it's just as well I'd been to the ATM earlier and had some cash with me...between us all we could raise was $300 and will pay the balance next week. I asked for a receipt.....and he bloody well wrote it out on a prescription!!!!

I'm sure that this is unethical (he certainly seems to be on a fiddle for tax). I asked my friend if she had to show her genitals for her green cards medical (hers was in Australia) and she was shocked when she heard about our experience. She says we should report him to the USCIS. My husband says 'look - at the end of the day we just want no hassle getting the green cards so what's the point'?

Comments?

Originally Posted by Englishmum

We had an odd experience yesterday when we went for our medical exam for our green card application.

Originally Posted by Englishmum

We had an odd experience yesterday when we went for our medical exam for our green card application.

I chose a doctor from the 'approved' USCIS list and he sounded rather old when I made the apointment. When my husband and I got there he must have been at least 80 years old; I suspect that all he does is immigration medicals as his son also works in the same practice and concentrates on other medical matters.

It's too long-winded and difficult to get our medical records from England (the FHSA recalled them from our doctor and they're offsite in some storage facility. We would have to get our old surgery to request our records, get them sent from the storage facility to the FHSA and then back to the surgery, where a 'medically trained' staff member could forward our vaccination records to us). Fortunately I had a few boosters when I went to India so all I need is an MMR.

Anyway, after drawing some blood for the compulsory AIDS test, the doc asked my husband to leave the room and said he needed to see my genitals (!). He did call a nurse into the room and asked me to drop my knickers and raise my skirt....had a quick look - didn't touch - and I asked him why he needed to do this, was it to check that I was actually a female? He said it was to check that I didn't have a venereal disease (so why wouldn't this be obvious from the blood test then?).

He was going to do a 'cough and drop' test on my husband but he was on the verge of passing out after his blood was drawn so the doc just had a quick peer at his 'package' as well. We then went off to a diagnostic clinic to get X rays to show that our lungs are clear ($50 each).

We have to return next week for the MMRs....but the doc asked us to pay $370 on the spot for the two of us. He wouldn't take credit cards and it's just as well I'd been to the ATM earlier and had some cash with me...between us all we could raise was $300 and will pay the balance next week. I asked for a receipt.....and he bloody well wrote it out on a prescription!!!!

I'm sure that this is unethical (he certainly seems to be on a fiddle for tax). I asked my friend if she had to show her genitals for her green cards medical (hers was in Australia) and she was shocked when she heard about our experience. She says we should report him to the USCIS. My husband says 'look - at the end of the day we just want no hassle getting the green cards so what's the point'?

Comments?

Originally Posted by blaze

Horrible isn't it! I feel for you. 16 years ago when I had to go through my green card stuff I went to London for my exam, chest x-ray, shots etc.

Originally Posted by Englishmum

We had an odd experience yesterday when we went for our medical exam for our green card application.

I chose a doctor from the 'approved' USCIS list and he sounded rather old when I made the apointment. When my husband and I got there he must have been at least 80 years old; I suspect that all he does is immigration medicals as his son also works in the same practice and concentrates on other medical matters.

It's too long-winded and difficult to get our medical records from England (the FHSA recalled them from our doctor and they're offsite in some storage facility. We would have to get our old surgery to request our records, get them sent from the storage facility to the FHSA and then back to the surgery, where a 'medically trained' staff member could forward our vaccination records to us). Fortunately I had a few boosters when I went to India so all I need is an MMR.



Anyway, after drawing some blood for the compulsory AIDS test, the doc asked my husband to leave the room and said he needed to see my genitals (!). He did call a nurse into the room and asked me to drop my knickers and raise my skirt....had a quick look - didn't touch - and I asked him why he needed to do this, was it to check that I was actually a female? He said it was to check that I didn't have a venereal disease (so why wouldn't this be obvious from the blood test then?).

He was going to do a 'cough and drop' test on my husband but he was on the verge of passing out after his blood was drawn so the doc just had a quick peer at his 'package' as well. We then went off to a diagnostic clinic to get X rays to show that our lungs are clear ($50 each).

We have to return next week for the MMRs....but the doc asked us to pay $370 on the spot for the two of us. He wouldn't take credit cards and it's just as well I'd been to the ATM earlier and had some cash with me...between us all we could raise was $300 and will pay the balance next week. I asked for a receipt.....and he bloody well wrote it out on a prescription!!!!

I'm sure that this is unethical (he certainly seems to be on a fiddle for tax). I asked my friend if she had to show her genitals for her green cards medical (hers was in Australia) and she was shocked when she heard about our experience. She says we should report him to the USCIS. My husband says 'look - at the end of the day we just want no hassle getting the green cards so what's the point'?

Comments?

Originally Posted by dbj1000

I'm afraid they have the option and the right to ask to look at your genitals. Somewhere (perhaps I can find it later) I used to have a document describing the tests they can do, and a full genital examination is one of them. I also know at least two people who had a similar experience to you.

That's not to say that you weren't unlucky. Our charming young immigration doctor just laughed when we asked him if he was going to look at our bits, and told us that it wouldn't be necessary. But then he also regarded about 50% of the other tests as unnecessary. Oh, and he gave us a free 20-minute consultation and detailed advise after he heard my daughter's mild heart-murmur.

I would be as outraged as you if I'd had your experience. Sadly though, I don't think he did anything you can officially compalin about, unless you really want to accuse him of tax fraud based on his refusal to take a credit card.

Originally Posted by dinosaur

Would have to say it sounds distictly suspicious. Had my gc medical about 8 years ago in Houston, so do not know if comparable to what is done now. I was in a similar position as I had no medical history here. The doctor was Spanish but had a British father and so she was perhaps easier on me than she could have been - I don't recall any physical examination - she just gave me an MMR shot and I think HepB, and drew blood for the AIDS test.
Certainly your experience with the fee sounds very unusual - isn't the INS (sorry, USCIS) medical a standard cost, with then extra charge if they do immunizations ? Also a doctor not taking credit cards is, well, unheard of.

Originally Posted by Ray

Sound like Dr Phelan ...

Originally Posted by AmerLisa

Heard he's not doing it anymore - the practice. My husband had to see him, although I don't recall him saying he had to show his bits.

Originally Posted by Rete

There is no "standard" fee for the examination.