Medical documents

[nitropuppy]

I understand that to teach in China, I would need a health certificate. And be "up to date" on my immunity shots. What is this document? is there a specific form? My doctor has no clue. ('course he is just a simple country doctor.) In addition, if I get the check up done in the "States", do I need to get the document translated and certified in chinese? Or will most schools accept the english version? Do I need copies for the residence permit or the PSB authorities? Thanks. I also wonder what shots I should get.Maybe, I need a new doctor.

[billiardsmike]

Good luck finding the requirements. I never did. I had a stateside checkup that I thought was complete, but it still wasn't enough because I didn't think to get a Syphilis test and didn't bring my x-rays with me. At least I was reassured that I wasn't ill before I got here.

The physical to satisfy the government can be done in a few minutes if you get in at 8am and cost me less than US$50. This includes blood work, primitive EKG, chest x-rays and a 1 minute examination. The resulting health certificate satisfies the PSB, which issues the residency permit.

I haven't seen a government requirement on vaccinations except for Yellow Fever, and then only if you've recently visited S. America or Africa. Your best bet may be to see an immunoligist who specializes in travel medicine, as I did. They can tailor your shots according to where you'll be and they can also provide a lot of other advice on precautions and medications to bring with you.

[roddy]

Best thing to do is see what is asked for in your visa application. There seems to be some variance depending on where you apply. Hopefully you won't need anything for the visa and then can deal with it when you do any residence permit application here in China. If you do need to do it abroad, you'll quite possibly find it needs to be done again when you get here, as mike did.

[mr.stinky]

if you want to do it in the states, you can go to the chinese consulate website (i know the

one in houston has this on line) and download copies of the medical form, it's in chinese

and english. any documents you bring over should be originals (they don't like copies)

with as many official 'stamps' as they have in the office.

i had this done in the states, as i had insurance, but the medical clinic here would not

accept it. had to do the whole 'primitive' procedure all over again, at a staggering cost

of 240 RMB.

for shots, see the CDC website, although it's a little hard to navigate and find any

useful information.

stateside, i got tetanus/diptheria, MMR (measles/mumps/rubella), and the initial hep-a.

here at the uni clinic, i got the second hep-a and the three hep-b shots, and typhoid.

typhoid cost 5rmb, and the hep were 25 rmb each.

if you'll be in rural areas, they recommend rabies vaccine. you might look into japanese

encephalitus, but i haven't found it here yet. the vaccine, not the disease.

[gemini23]

any assurances that these chinese issued shots won't contain mercury, aluminum-hydroxide, or better...fake drugs that will kill me???

[mr.stinky]

no assurances, but they guarantee that if the shot kills you, you can then fill out a form

requesting a refund.

[Kiwijes]

I am very interested in this post. The Chinese embassy has said that because I am only teaching for 1 semester (5 months) I do not need a medical test to enter the country (if I was staying longer than 6 months then I would.

The school have requested I get one but all I am doing is providing them with a letter from my Dr saying that i'm fine and healthy. Do you think this letter will be rejected?

The last thing I want is to have any medical procedure done in China. Any advise appreciated. Thanks.

[imron]

The medical exam is not required to enter the country, it's required to get a residence permit. You only need a residence permit if you are coming in on an X (student) visa, or a Z (work) visa.

If you are coming in on an F (short-term business) visa, you don't need to get a residence permit, and therefore don't need to do the medical.

If you are coming in on a Z visa, then regarding getting the medical in your own country, just getting a letter isn't enough. Your doctor needs to fill out the "Physical Examination Certificate for Foreign Citizen" which you should be able to obtain from your nearest Chinese embassy (and online if you search for it).

The examination also requires several tests (blood tests, chest xrays, ECG etc), and for the Chinese side to accept the exam you will need to bring hard copies of all results, and each hard-copy should be stamped and signed by the doctor who did the test.

Even if you do all this, there's still no guarantee that the Chinese side will accept all of this, and may still insist on you having the tests done again. Often it's simpler just to get the whole thing done in China. My first two years in China I had the tests done in Australia, but then figured it was such a hassle, it was easier just to get it done in China. So now I've also gone through this procedure a couple of times in China, and there were no problems with it.

Once again, you only need to do the medical if you are getting a residence permit. If you are coming in on an F visa (which sounds quite likely if you're only coming for such a short time), then you shouldn't need to do anything.

[roddy]

Once again, you only need to do the medical if you are getting a residence permit.

A few years ago it was the case that if you were on a Z or X visa but applying for a residence permit for six months or less, there was no need to take the physical. This was when residence permits were a green book or (for short-term ones) a slip of paper in your passport. Does anyone know if this is still the case?

The last thing I want is to have any medical procedure done in China.

It's really not an issue. It gets no more evasive than taking a blood sample. The real last thing you want is to have them tell you you have to leave the country as you have TB, syphilis and counter-revolutionary material tattooed on the inside of your lungs.