Medical examinations for school and university

I always had my school physical performed by my family's private doctor, the schools i went to never had their own medical personal.

I've always had my physicals performed by my own family doctor too.

Cant recall any experience of a group physical in school, but some of the stories above do get me interested! 😃

Ours were done in an actual clinic setting. Everyone lined up on a saturday morning at the local urgent care, and volunteer doctors did them. I only went once. Every other time was with my regular doctor.

It went fast. Listen to your chest/ heart. Poke around your abdomen, check your spine, turn tour head and cough. Out the door.

I was always in pretty good shape. My sister and I had a physical each year and to get shots if we needed them. So as far as school physicals were concerned it was basically the doctor asking me if anything had changed. She would have known it anyway. So basically she just checked off the list and signed it. No undressing or anything. But I never knew if we would have to undress.

I was at university for 5 years and had to undergo a number of compulsory medical examinations. While it was supposed to be a annual health check, there always seemed to appear a reason for additional tests and exams, follow up visits, and so on. I have never been examined as much in my life as during these 5 years at university, and do not think there was much medical justification for all that.

Of course in the old times, there could have been valid reason for university examinations, especially avoiding the spread of contagious diseases, like tuberculosis. But apparently many jurisdictions just pursued compulsory medicals. A recent article i read about that confirmed the lack of health justifications, explained it was a combination of authorities willing to control students and the medical profession always pushing for more exams. This is quite in line with what i had to go through during my student times, with increasing requirements year after year.

The annual examination at university which was presented as a general health check was actually a thorough head to toes examination, where an unknown doctor, usually female, was examining everything, from testing eyes to doing a rectal examination. Much emphasis was put on examining genitals and especially testicles making these annual exams very unpleasant, and possibly painful if the doctor sqeezed testicles hard. Dentist was also part of the compulosry program every year, with some dentists at this time still in favor of removing wisdom teeth irrespective of any issue.

During my 5 years studies, medical tests requirements kept increasing, with additional tests that personal at the examination centre claimed were to be done systematically, such as blood tests, urine or stoll analysis, cardiological and dermatological examination.

Doctors conducting the annual examination would also require further testing on the ground of suspected health issues. I had that in two instances:

1) The doctor built up a big story on the basis that i was overweighted. I am not skinny, but no catastrophy. I got a lecture that overweight could be connected to hormonal issues, heart and kidneys issues, digestive problem and ended up prescribed additional exams with specialists of these areas. Endocrinologist for hormonal issus, she examined me completely and checked my testicles. Cardiologist for heart issues, the easiest of all. I had a kidney echography that showed no issue, but the specialist decided that it was appropriate to conduct a full examination of urinary system: once again, i ended up having testicles checked and an examination of my bladder was conducted: the worst exam i ever had. The gastro enterologist also examined me extensively for digestive issue. After all that, i had to return to the general doctor who prescribed all the exams, she seemed disapointed that no issue was found.

2) In third year, doctor was focussed on tonsils, and questionned why i did not have tonsils removed as a kid. She prescribed a visit to an ears nose throat specialist and a surgeon to decided if i should have them removed. The ease nose throat specialist examined my ears, nose, mouth and throat will all kind of instruments, no undressing but another painful and unpleasant experience. The surgeon reiterated the same exams, concluded that there as no issue with my tonsils, but decided to give me a complete examination, "just in case of other issuses"

I was glad when i finished university and did not have to deal with all this medical examintion non sense anymore.

Has anybody have similar experiences.

gphilg

I was glad when i finished university and did not have to deal with all this medical examintion non sense anymore.

Has anybody have similar experiences.

Could you maybe narrow down the years this happened and which country/region?

And for my own answer: when in university in Belgium during early 1970s, there was an x-ray of the lungs the first year and the third year we got a rather cursory medical exam of only the most basic items: eyesight, hearing, heart, lungs, blood sugar and perhaps a few other things I promptly forgot about. Certainly no genital or rectal exam.

And even if we had been found to be ailing in some manner or another, follow-up exams were at our own discretion and at a doctor/specialist of our own choice.

After the first year lung x-ray, I was advised to consult a specialist for further diagnosis. I believe my parents asked for a reference from our family doctor and he sent me to an old pulmonary specialist who very incorrectly diagnosed me as having TBC (it was actually a tumor - teratoma - but that came to light many years later).

But my point being that, once I had been advised of the x-ray findings, the university had nothing more to do with me in a medical sense. I had been told and presumably followed their advice and that was that as far as the U was concerned. I never heard from them again on that matter.

One university I attended was quite small and didn't perform physicals on students. In fact, I don't believe there was an actual doctor on campus, just nurses or medical practitioners at the small health center, which I never really set foot in. I believe they just had us sign some form declaring we had seen our own doctor within the past year. It was during those years when I did have some of my more memorable physicals at my own doctor's, (first prostate exam, first time having med students observing while doctor performed physical, a number of first times being naked in front of different medical professionals, at least as an adult.)

At a larger university, I moved to for about a year, things were different. This was where I participated in a medical test for the first time. Only did it this one time, and while the actual test didn't involve anything I needed to be undressed for, they did have me go to the campus health center for a full physical beforehand. The staff who worked in their office included some students who were in classes with me. Although they weren't in the exam room for the physical, I remember feeling butterflies when I walked in and saw my classmates there, and when one of them gave me the paperwork and then told me when it was my turn. Being in the exam room when the nurse asked me to get undressed, knowing my classmates were just in the other room and they knew I was naked in there, that was more exciting than a normal physical at my doctor's. Seeing those classmates later, in class or the library or wherever, they were perfectly cool, but I would get butterflies again for a week or so after this.

While attending college away from home, I did have occasions to seek care from the university health service on campus. It was staffed by student nurses as well as senior nurses and 2 physicians. While I didn't get my annual exams from them, I would be subject to a cursory exam when gong for a sick visit. I would defer my annual exams to seeing my doctor back at home. Still, the clinic staff would require one to remove a blouse and wear a vest for the doctor. Doing so generated the same degree of anxiety as other exams in my life and curiosity about how much would be done! At times my jeans would be lowered for examine of my lower abdomen and on one occasion - fearing that I had appendicitis - a rectal examination was given. I guess my overall impression is that no matter where one goes, it's likely that one will be partially nude and probed!

I had a general physical before I started college and then had to be examined every year to be on the swim team (sports physical).

Medical test subject

tell us about the exams at the larger university

I did not have a compulsory exam at university, but when I took part on a school exchange program in high school to the US, I had to undergo a compulsory exam.

I did not have a compulsory exam at university, but when I took part on a school exchange program in high school to the US, I had to undergo a compulsory exam.

Could you perhaps tell where the examination took place? Was it in Germany (?) before you left or did it take place in the US when you arrived?

Could you perhaps tell where the examination took place? Was it in Germany (?) before you left or did it take place in the US when you arrived?

it was performed after my arrival in the US

I had to have one for my university in Europe.

We got ushered into a small hall. We were told to undress, put our clothes on a table and then we had to register with one of the admin staff who sat behind a table. I had to give my name and date of birth. She gave me a folder that I would find had my notes in, and in return I gave her my urine sample.

I joined a queue and when it was my turn you went and sat down by a doctor who went through all my medical history.

Then it was to a nurse who did the weight and height thing. Then it was the vampire and then on to a doctor.

Whilst you were stood up he listened to my heart, lungs, tapped my back and had a quick feel of my boobs. Then I had to lay on an examine table while I had my tummy felt. Next they felt my feet. Then he felt my legs and moved them in all directions. I then had to stand when he looked me all over before getting me to do exercises that looked close to yoga, and he felt my spine and limbs as he did it. And that was it, I got dressed and went for my interview.

"Mellow" : you do not say how much you were undressed while waiting in a queue your turn ?

Hi easterman

I was totally undressed. I had lived here for 3 years so I knew how things were done. A few peole who were from aboard stripped to their undies before sternly being told "no clothes" by a nearby nurse.

I had to have one for my university in Europe.?

Could you say which country and region it was?

There are vast and huge differences in customs and mores between the many European countries, even great differences between regions in the same country. So I'm interested and curious where.

Hi agracier.

It sounds like you find the cultural thing as interesting as I do. I just wish I could get a job where I travelled around Europe collecting information on the my passion.

I think that the medical world displays the same philosophies as the culture it serves. As a foreigner in Europe I am required to have an entry medical. The physical is pretty standard, but part of it is that I have to have a chest x-ray encase of TB or to find out how my heart problems are. It is pretty common for me to be in the x-ray waiting room topless along with other topless women waiting to be x-rayed. I feel that this shows the countries attitude to nudity.

"Mellow" I cannot guess in which country we had this examination before entrance at the university but I am almost sure that it was not in France or it was a very long time ago because since several years the physical examinations when required at university were not so thorough and I doubt that it could be so different of now.

There was no mandatory nudity in group, even for boys students, so still less for girls students.

Of course a chest Xray in case of TB could be required and it was in that case topless and may be in group.( I have had myself a lot of chest X ray during school years and university years too and it was obviously at least chest bare but I understand that this was less usual for a girl than for a man who had no reason to be embarrassed chest bare with other students) and I can understand that you were embarrassed

but in your previous message you have written that you were ushered with other girls,in a small hall, told to undress, to put your clothes on a table, to register with one of the adm staff of the university ( a woman I presume) and after receiving a folder to join the queue completely naked since you have said that a nearby nurse had sternly told to a few girls more shy towards nudity and not knowing the common rules who had kept their undies to strip completely until nudity.

In your relation, it looks much more like a physical examination of draftees for military service than for a university entrance but why not ... as you said, cultures may be very different from a country to an other

What I have perhaps not understood is the link between the first relation of your examination for which you stripped in the nude as required and the chest X Ray topless examination ?

Was it the same exam or two exams and the last one in other circumstances when you came from Europe to the United States?

"Medical test subject"

The second part of your relation of university physicals is rather funny but certainly possible.

If there was some students that you knew who were working among the staff in the campus health center ( may be for a training course ) where you have to come for a full physical before the medical test medical, it is perfectly logical that they were present at your arrival and that they gave you medical papers and told you when it was your turn to be examined and it was obviously embarrassing but fortunately for you they did not enter in the examination during the time of your examination in the nude so they did not watch your examination even if you knew that they were not far, just in the room near of you and knowing certainly that your examination was performed in the nude and wondering how you could be naked.. It was obviously more exciting than a normal physical at your own doctor

I understand that it was a matter for a dream and I believe you when you said that you get some butterflies while seeing them at the entrance in the staff offices or thinking to them during your examination in the nude or when you saw them after in the university in class, library or where ever, I presume that they smiled when they saw you to make you understand that they had not forget the day of your physical.

How often were you examined at university and school, and how were doctors.

Can you describe what happened.

Nothing was compulsory at my college. I went to the student med center whenever I was sick and I remember it was almost always female doctors but I don't have any memory of any exciting exams from them. The one time I had an invasive exam (digital rectal), it was by a young male doctor. I think he was an intern. He seemed a bit unsure of himself and kept going to check with another doctor. Maybe it was his first DRE too!

Never once at college, there was a medical center for those living in the halls of residence fell ill, no mandatory or voluntary exams.

In Germany compulsory medical exams for students are very rare. You Need one if you study medicine before entering the practical part of the studies (to make sureyou are healthy and no problem for the patients) and for studying sports (to make sure you meet the health requirements) and also for some foreign students bur normally there is no health check required.

I was in college in the 90s, there was no requirement for a physical exam as a condition of admission or as something compulsory.

My wife had to get a physical exam from her doctor prior to admission to the college she attended. It was a complete physical that included a breast exam, pelvic exam and Pap.

She also tried out for the track team and made the cut. The team had to have a sports physical by the college's athletic department physician. It was a group physical done in the women's locker room, the male track team members had their exams done in the men's locker room first, then it was the women's turn.

My wife and the other team members wore their track outfits for the exam. You know the outfit, like what the women track competitors wore at the Olympics. The tight, shiny spandex short shorts and tight, shiny spandex cropped tank tops with a sports bra underneath. It was a pretty thorough physical and it did include a brief internal exam while in stirrups.

I will give a detailed account later when I have more time!

What is the idea of an internal pelvic exam to attend sports? While I can understand for an hernia check for male sports to discover problems I see no reason to do something like that for females.

I wasn't the doctor who performed the exam, or the one who decided to have a brief bimanual exam (no speculum exam) be part of the physical. It was a good 16 or so years ago, maybe it isn't done anymore. Hell, a lot of doctors don't even include any kind of genital or rectal exam for any type of physical anymore. Just look at the replies on this thread alone. Some didn't have any type of physical to start college, others had the works done to them. Thousands of colleges and universities around the country, and they all have their own requirements and way of doing things.

Rabidbiker, I think that things have changed during the last years and privacy is respected more and more at school and university exams. So it is even more interested to compare the experiences men and women made.

I attend two universities, both required physicals but were totally different from each other. In fact, my high school sports physical was more detailed than my first college exam. The first university, required you go to their health center before classes started for the semester. A male nurse took your BP, height, weight, blood sample and urine sample. This was one of the times I had to pee while someone was watching.

At the second university, things were different you had the option of your doctor or their health center. I picked my family doctor, then he filled out the required health forms. Beside all the normal history, vitals, vision test and had to provide a urine sample. She told me " strip down to your boxers and the doctor will be in shortly".

My doc. gave me the standard exam just like every year. After he was done with the genital & hernia exam he told me to wait in my boxers until they determined if I needed any new injections. I needed one or two then the nurse told me to get dressed.