Hello there! You're likely here because you want to know what to expect for that pre-admission medical exam that you're going for in the next couple of days. As a matriculating freshie this year, I had the same thoughts the few days leading up to the checkup. That is why I decided to write a post to help regulate expectations based off my personal experience. Take note that I went for the exam at the University Health Centre in June 2021, when there was still covid-19 restrictions, so some of the safe distancing measures may not be applicable for subsequent batches. This experience might not be applicable to non- matriculating full-time undergraduate students, or those that are will be studying Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, or Dentistry (they have additional screenings). Nonetheless, I hope this would be helpful!
Booking an appointment at UHC
Personally, I'd recommend going together with a friend or two for company, so try to book the same appointment slots with your friends! Keep in mind that the system tends to receive high volume of appointment bookings between June and August, slots run out quickly and you may end up only being able to book appointments after the school term begins. This is fine as long as you complete your medical exam before the year ends (30 December 2021 for students matriculating in AY21/22). More details can be found at the NUS official webpage.
For ladies, you'd want to book an appointment slot that is about a week after your period ends. This is because if blood were detected in your urine sample, it will be rejected and you'd be asked to come again on another day.
For students matriculating in 2021, you can book your slots here. The total cost is $40 for full-time citizens and PR.
Things to prepare prior to the medical exam:
- Complete part 1 of the medical examination form (Take note that the form linked is to the 2021 version. You can access subsequent versions from this link).
- Drink plenty of water to hydrate yourself a few days before the exam, and refrain from strenuous exercise. This is to ensure that your body is properly hydrated and to prevent protein from entering your urine sample. If it does, you'll be required to redo the sample the following week.
- Drink lots of water on your way to the University Health Centre. You'll be required to fill half of the urine sample cup provided and drinking plenty of water will help you with that, trust me on that.
Things to bring on the day of your medical exam:
- Singapore Identity Card or Passport
- Any medical history reports written in English (if applicable)
- $40 in Cash or NETs (if payment is required)
- NUS Medical Examination Form with Part 1 completed
- Prescription eyewear / contact lenses
- NUS Student Card (If you've received it! You can take the free shuttle buses in and out of campus if you have it. If you don't, you can still take the public buses!)
- Water bottle (For drinking while waiting. It helps a lot with the urine test later on.)
- Entertainment (There is likely going to be a long wait. The whole checkup process took about 1.5-2h for me)
- A bag to store all of this! (And possibly your clothes when doing the x-ray)
Getting there
There was a small Safe Entry check in and a small health declaration form you need to complete before entering the health centre, but don't worry! There'll be someone outside ready to guide you through the declaration form. They'll then give you a queue number and instruct you to wait near the registration area.
The Process
With a queue number in hand, you'll enter the dim lit air conditioned room. You'll first notice one of those electronic boards that with large red digits placed just about everywhere around the room. The one that you'll want to focus on first, would be the one right in front of you. There might be a small queue, depending on the number of people who just entered before you (you can probably tell how many just by the number of seats taken up before the registration counters).
After some time, the red digits would flash to display your queue number. You can now proceed to the corresponding counter that called for you. The nurse will ask for your IC / passport, as well as your NUS Medical Examination Form. The nurse may check a few details with you before handing you your medical folder with a new queue number and instruct you to head over to join the queue for the small green room behind you.
In this small green sectioned-off area, your eyesight will be tested and your height and weight measured. This part of the exam would probably be the fastest.
When that's done, you'll head back out to the left of the registration area, and find a potentially long queue to see the doctor. Take a seat facing the electronic queue board and whip out your entertainment source. This wait would be one of the longest.
When that board finally calls for you, head into the doctor's room. The doctor will ask some questions regarding your medical history, and proceed to take your blood pressure, pulse rate and conduct a standard knee-jerk reaction test.
Once that's out of the way, you'll then proceed to wait outside one of the rooms to the right of the registration counters to do the urine test. Take out your entertainment again, because this wait could take a while.
When they're ready, the nurse will call your name and hand you the urine sample collection cup. You'll then be instructed to fill somewhere between a third to half the cup with urine. Head to the toilets to do your business and hand the cup back once you're done. This will be when you will be grateful for drinking so much. Hang around outside the same door. The nurse will then call for a few people at a time to do their x-ray test in a separate room.
Ladies would be asked to change out of their clothes into one of their tops for the x-ray tests. Bring along your clothes when you're done. I'm not sure whether the guys would need to do the same. When it's your turn, you'll be asked to hug some giant object and be told when to breathe and when to hold your breath. In a blink of an eye, that's over. Ladies would then change back into their clothes. With the last segment done, you'll be instructed to head back to the registration counter to return your medical folder.
If there are some abnormalities observed, particularly in your urine sample, you'll be asked to see the same doctor again, who will then go through the abnormalities with you. Otherwise, you're free to go!
Congratulations on completing the pre-admission medical exam! Thank you for reading this post! I hope my experience has been helpful in what you can expect at the University Health Centre. Good luck!