Physical exam day!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012: Part I

In order to obtain a residence permit to live in China, every foreigner must go through a physical exam at a government-approved facility. (It sounds scarier than it really is.) The exam must be scheduled at least one week in advance, and you are required to fill out some paperwork about your medical history and provide nine passport-sized photographs of yourself.

The law firm assisting me with my immigration paperwork set up my exam for 9:30am on October 9. The medical facility that processes foreigners is located near the Shanghai Zoo, about a 30-minute drive west of my hotel, so I took a taxi to get there. I knew we had arrived when I saw a street full of taxis and foreigners.

The facility consists of four or five different buildings. You go into the first one and they tell you in which of the other buildings your appointment is (most of the workers spoke English).

I walked to “Building 3” and stood in a line with other foreigners. I got to the desk and the clerk gave me a form to complete. I filled out the form (it was in English and Chinese) and then got back in line. A representative from the law firm assisting me arrived, took my paperwork, and we got in another line. They took my picture at the clinic (along with the nine passport-sized pictures I brought), then the rep shuffled me off down a hallway and told me to go to “Room 109”.

Room 109 was a locker room. I showed the attendant my papers, she gave me a locker key and a white, waffle-print robe, showed me to a private changing area, and told me to take off everything above my waist and put on the robe. I did as I was told, put my things in the locker, locked it, and then she took my weight and height and sent me off to another room.

From then on it was going from room to room for different tests. One room for a chest x-ray. Another room to have blood samples taken. Then to another room for an ultrasound (I’ve never even had one of those in the U.S.). To another for an eye test. Then another for blood pressure. To another for a cardio test—they clamped what looked like car jump-starter cables to one ankle and both wrists and then stuck little suction-cup things to my chest, which resulted in a print-out of cardiac activity (I think). Then back to room 109 to get dressed and gather my things.

The whole process was very efficient and methodical. No unnecessary talking or movements. You just keep going from one room to the next until they tell you you're done. I think I will get a copy of the reports . . . eventually.

Phew! Sorry for the lack of pictures, but as you can imagine, this was not the place to pull out your camera and take snapshots.

Originally, I thought I would check out the zoo after the exam, but the exam was enough excitement for one day. Plus, I don't think I could have walked to the zoo from the clinic. On the map, it looked like the clinic campus backed up to the zoo, but I didn't see any entrances on my way into or out of the clinic; I think the entrance was off of the nearby highway. So, I decided to take a taxi back to the inner city where I sort-of know my way around now. Oh well. I’ll save the zoo for another trip.

I did see some "wildlife" in the city though. Here's a little biker kitty:

Stay tuned for Tuesday: Part II.