Non-western physical exams

One of my strangest and most memorable experiences at a physical was in Shanghai where I lived a few years. If you are a student/resident there for longer than a few months, you have to do a state-approved physical at a medical facility. I checked in at a relatively anonymous-looking office building, but inside I found myself ushered from room to room, like a piece of meat. For those, like me, who liked to be objectified, exhibited, and somewhat humiliated, this was heaven. One room for blood work, one room for blood pressure and ENT, another for weight and height, another for X-Ray - each one performed by a different technician, who would check your identity just using your wristband. The most memorable part of the day (the whole thing lasted maybe an hour) was when I was brought into a dim room and the technician laid me down on a dentist-type chair, lubed up my stomach, and brought out a strange wand. At this point, my Chinese wasn't great so I had no idea what was happening. He brought the wand to my stomach and on the display I saw that I was getting an ultrasound! I almost burst out laughing but I was also sort of in awe. At no other time in my life, I thought, will I ever be getting an ultrasound. I imagined him finding a baby in there and how exciting that would be.

It's funny, I don't even remember if they did a genital check. They certainly didn't do a prostate check. I think I was so entertained by the ultrasound that I forgot a lot of the rest of the experience. When I asked other researchers/students about their experience, all of them agreed that they had felt like cattle being driven through a system -- they, of course, didn't really look back on the memory fondly.

My question: Anybody else have a physical outside of the U.S./Canada/Europe before? How did it differ from a western physical exam?

I had an exam like this at a hospital in Bangkok last month. The exam took me from room to room with plenty of waiting rooms in between. Patients of all nationalities there to get check ups. It was a great day out! I also had a full ultrasound of my abdomen - a first for me but quite a weird experience.

My only experience abroad wasn’t really non-Western, but during a college semester in London, we were all ushered to the university health facility for “medicals.” It was a totally cursory exam. I think I had to take my shirt off, or lift it up, for a heart check. But nothing much beyond that.

I had an exam like this at a hospital in Bangkok last month. The exam took me from room to room with plenty of waiting rooms in between. Patients of all nationalities there to get check ups. It was a great day out! I also had a full ultrasound of my abdomen - a first for me but quite a weird experience.

Do you have more details on the various exams and what all happened?

Once many years ago, a buddy of mine and I went to Taiwan. Once in a while, to this day, he mails me a copy of "Travel in Taiwan" magazine. A few years ago, the magazine had an article about medical tourism to Taiwan; people going to the island for operations or medical procedures that they couldn't afford to do in the native countries. I did some further research online and found that you could do extensive health exams and physicals. If I ever go back to Taiwan, I would probably try to do something like this.

I was sent to a medical center in Beijing in order to extend my visa. The receptionist looked at my passport and handed me a 4-page form in English. I paid my $30-equivalent fee and followed a white line painted along one side of the floor. First there was a room full of recliners where 3 phials of blood were extracted by a nurse. Then I was handed a paper cup and directed to the bathroom to fill it. Another large room held three blood pressure machines. I had to place my arm into a tunnel and the machine did the rest. Another room held an enormous X-ray machine. Then I was shown into a curtained cubicle. A young doctor entered. First was a height-weight check and a comprehensive stethoscope exam. Then came a series of abdominal compressions before the doctor applied a gel over my liver area. The ultrasound probe was cold but felt quite pleasant. Then a EKG test that produced a printout which was stapled to my form. There was no genital exam but the ultrasound apparently checked my bladder and prostate as well as the liver and spleen.

The trail took on two floors and it was clear that the building's only use was for medical exams. At the end of my 2-hour visit I was handed a small booklet outlining all my test results. It was marked as 'normal and was valid for 2 years.

As a MedFet enthusiast the one-to-one exam was excellent. The doctor seemed actually interested in me and asked intelligent questions. Being used to European medicals I was impressed by the size and scope of the setup. The clinic was not just for ex-pats; many local Chinese came for insurance, travel and visa exams.

First I went to a nurse’s room for sight check, height, weight, waist measurement, BP then a blood sample.

After changing into a hospital pajama style outfit and a few minutes in a waiting area I went to another room for an ECG/EKG which was carried out by another female Thai nurse.

Next came a chest x-ray then an abdominal ultrasound. This was my first ultrasound and it was a little uncomfortable as I’d been given plenty of water to drink as apparently a full bladder is required. The ultrasound was carried out by a very good looking young female technician who pressed quite hard on my abdomen to check liver, kidneys, bladder etc. The exam seemed to take ages but was probably around 20 minutes in reality.

It was then time to provide urine and stool samples for which kits were provided. I was told to leave my samples in a small cupboard accessed by a hatch from the bathroom.

By this time it was around midday and I had been fasting since the previous evening. I got a voucher to use the buffet area for a complimentary snack whilst the results of my tests were collated.

Around 3 hours after arriving I met the doctor. A male Thai, US educated and aged around 30. He was chaperoned by a young female Thai nurse. He started with a very thorough physical exam for which I was naked thoroughout but with various areas covered and uncovered with several drapes/ sheets - this covering/uncovering was the nurse’s job. The exam finished with a testicular exam and hernia check, then a DRE which was carried out lying on my side. During the DRE I was asked to cough which was first in my experience and I’m still not sure why. Any ideas anyone?

Finally, I sat down the the doctor’s office to discuss the exam and test results. He recommended another exam in a year which I will definitely arrange. I took away a USB with the results of my chest x-ray and ultrasound. The next day a 12 page report with exam findings and recommendations was emailed to me.

I left the hospital after almost 4 hours having paid a bill of 10,000 baht so approximately US$ 300. I thought it was excellent value for money and I’ll certainly go back when in Thailand next year.

Happy to PM the name of the hospital to anyone interested (not sure I can mention it on here) - I highly recommend it for anyone visiting Bangkok.

Curious, how were people who've replied dressed, or undressed, during these exams? Only London Ma mentioned that.

Curious, how were people who've replied dressed, or undressed, during these exams? Only London Ma mentioned that.

I was asked to remove all my upper clothing and socks inside the cubical. I had deposited my shoes and socks in a pigeonhole at the entrance and was given disposable slippers for use inside the clinic. I was wearing elasticated shorts as it was quite hot outside. These were pulled down a little for the ultrasound but otherwise remained in place.

Many thanks to all of the posters sharing / describing their experiences on this fascinating topic.

From 10-17 I lived in eastern Europe and the process went like this. Check in and parents have a waiting room and the patient goes into a separate waiting room where they all strip naked it. When you were called you went with the nurse and did the normal stuff same with the doctor except he measures you(does that happen to anyone else?)

Then you go into a big room when you are pair with someone at random and you run and do exercises. All this in the nude and coed. And all we knew. This was the only office in town and everyone went there as a kid. Now its about the same just more up to times.

From 10-17 I lived in eastern Europe and the process went like this.

Could you be more specific during which years this was and especially in which country?

Eastern Europe as a dimly understood grouping of nations used to work fine during the Cold War era to scare people with as an opponent. But culturally, and therefore also regarding medical customs, Eastern Europe is vast and varied with customs differing from country to country.

First I went to a nurse’s room for sight check, height, weight, waist measurement, BP then a blood sample.

After changing into a hospital pajama style outfit and a few minutes in a waiting area I went to another room for an ECG/EKG which was carried out by another female Thai nurse.

Next came a chest x-ray then an abdominal ultrasound. This was my first ultrasound and it was a little uncomfortable as I’d been given plenty of water to drink as apparently a full bladder is required. The ultrasound was carried out by a very good looking young female technician who pressed quite hard on my abdomen to check liver, kidneys, bladder etc. The exam seemed to take ages but was probably around 20 minutes in reality.

It was then time to provide urine and stool samples for which kits were provided. I was told to leave my samples in a small cupboard accessed by a hatch from the bathroom.

By this time it was around midday and I had been fasting since the previous evening. I got a voucher to use the buffet area for a complimentary snack whilst the results of my tests were collated.

Around 3 hours after arriving I met the doctor. A male Thai, US educated and aged around 30. He was chaperoned by a young female Thai nurse. He started with a very thorough physical exam for which I was naked thoroughout but with various areas covered and uncovered with several drapes/ sheets - this covering/uncovering was the nurse’s job. The exam finished with a testicular exam and hernia check, then a DRE which was carried out lying on my side. During the DRE I was asked to cough which was first in my experience and I’m still not sure why. Any ideas anyone?

Finally, I sat down the the doctor’s office to discuss the exam and test results. He recommended another exam in a year which I will definitely arrange. I took away a USB with the results of my chest x-ray and ultrasound. The next day a 12 page report with exam findings and recommendations was emailed to me.

I left the hospital after almost 4 hours having paid a bill of 10,000 baht so approximately US$ 300. I thought it was excellent value for money and I’ll certainly go back when in Thailand next year.

Happy to PM the name of the hospital to anyone interested (not sure I can mention it on here) - I highly recommend it for anyone visiting Bangkok.

Thank you for your story; it was quite fascinating! I was getting turned on over here. :-)

When i said eastern Europe I mean Ukraine

Ive never been in one of these situations but I LOVE watching the youtube videos where people talk about their visa medical exams. They are very detailed and its always nice to imagine!

These stories are very interesting and I thank you for publishing them. However, I do not have the impression that these exams are very different from those that you can have in Europe or America except for the much more advantageous price.

Medical tourism will certainly grow a lot in the coming years, it seems to me a good idea to combine medical exams with a stay in a luxury hotel, when you are relaxed.

"Alex 25018 "

I knew that the ideas about the shyness towards nudity can and could be different from a country to an other one;

nevertheless I am surprised and skeptical about your relation of regular teenagers examinations in Ukraine from 10 to 17 age because you said that you had to strip naked in a separare room of the waiting room where sat your parents ( were the two parents present by requirement or only the mother like it was generally in western countries?) and were called to go first with the nurse ( so in the nude in front of her but one by one patient ?, in presence of parents or they stayed in the waiting room until the end of the examination ?) ) and then in front of a doctor, before being called to go in a big room in pair with someone at ramdom where you had to do exercices and running tests all in the nude and co-ed ?

Why necessary co-ed? if the pair was chosen ramdomly, it could be with an other boy?

Does it mean that you could be in this big room in the nude with a girl of your age even after 14 age, at 15, 16, or even 17 age?

or with a younger girl when you were a teenager between 14 and 17 age ? or an older one if it was the reverse when you had less than 17, 16, 15, 14 age?

And why do you mean by : " and all we knew " ?

Does it mean that you knew generally the other student of the pair naked with you in this room ? were you at the same school ?

Difficult to think that such a situation was plausible, even in an eastern country where rights of people to privacy were obviously less respected such as we knew for instance by the procedure of the draft physical examinations since we wee photos and read relations aboit it in different forums .

It would have been so easy to choose a boy to be in pair with a boy ! at least after the age of 12 or 13 when puberty began

Who was supervising you in that big room while you did exercices? a nurse? a doctor?

Were the parents of the pair of teenagers present also in this room or always in the waiting room ?

It's a small town so we all saw each other it was random who you were with

Where you often paired with girls? What did the exam with the doctor contain?

No most of the time you were with a guy but maybe 3 times I wasnt. The doctor gives you the regular physical.

Wow, quite exciting experiences, thanks for sharing! I haven't experienced anything like this myself, but reading your posts the small med fet enthusiast in me got quite excited, maybe I should try to get a job in some foreign country..

Never experienced a non - western exam.

Alex" what did you feel when you were paired with a girl classmate , was it embarrassing for both of you or you get out of this situation as if it were normal

how old were you aged each time ? if you remember well

It was a little weird because I had a huge crush on her and we were 16

It was a little weird bc I had a huge crush on her and we were 16

I would think that would be the cause of many fine memories.

Alex25018 said

It was a little weird because I had a huge crush on her and we were 16

I had a similar situation, the older sister of one of my school friends was a nurse at the clinic I attended. I was 15 / 16, she would have been 19 / 20 years old.

Very interesting!

Being in the US, I wonder if we have a base of doctors from overseas that do things in a non western manner. And then following on that, where do I find them... lol!