Foreign Service Medical Clearance Appointment One
This morning I gave Noelle a ride in to work to Annex 1 at the State Department since I had to go in for my first medical clearance appointment. Unfortunately, by the time I signed in for my 8:45AM appointment, I was already hungry for breakfast, and I wouldn’t be able to eat until after my blood samples were drawn in the lab. Ugh.
But the process seemed very assembly-line efficient. The post check in wait was about 15 minutes, then I spoke with a lady for some intake information. She entered my information in to their computer system, asked me a few family and personal medical history questions and let me fill out their medical history form on the computer on my own. Then I got to sit out and wait for another 10 minutes or so before a nurse weighed me, checked my height and took my pulse and blood pressure (110/70 – she said it was good). That was it before I went back to the lobby to wait for another 5 minutes. This nurse went over my medical history with me. We talked about my consistent positive TB scratch tests and she agreed I should just get an x-ray as soon as possible. Then we got to talk about my hyperparathyroidism. I explained what it was (ie, not a thyroid issue, sigh) and my surgery and she took a few notes on one page, and was quite pleased with the explanation I wrote on another. Then she wrote up my lab orders and sent me off to the lab. They took my bodily fluids, no surprise there.
By the time I got out of there it was 10:30 and I was really really hungry. Since I used to live in the apartment complex that houses Annex 1 (Columbia Plaza), I went to the plaza with the little convenience store and bought some water and a granola bar. $20 got me out of the garage, and I was back to the office by 11!
The whole experience was pretty painless. I need to get a few medical records from my doctors office, find a radiology clinic to get my x-ray done, and go in again for my blood test follow ups with the doctor on Monday. I’m just glad I could get this done directly at State, so there’s no worry about having all of the correct tests and paperwork done and sent in from a remote site.
I’m reading your blog so I can keep up-to-date on all your business. Aren’t you proud of me?! Congrats on marking one appointment off the checklist :)
Hi Melissa and Chad,
Did your positive Tb scratch test adversely impact your medical clearance for the Foreign Service? I recently received a positive and am wondering if this will negate my chances to be an FSO.
Thank you
Hi Teresa,
Here’s the short answer: probably not.
I’ve been scratching positive for TB for at least ten years, so I can usually avoid the scratch test all together and go straight to the x-ray. Skipping the big scratchy bump on my arm is kind of a relief (as long as my lungs stay clear).
Testing positive on a TB scratch test is a lot more common than my other pre-existing condition (hyperparathyroidism), so the nurses and doctor at the State Department clinic hardly batted an eyelash at it.
I was cleared for a world-wide medical clearance with a positive TB scratch, so I don’t think you’ll have any issues as long as your lungs are clear. If they aren’t…well, that’s a whole other set of problems.
Best of luck!