I had my medical this Tuesday at the Krankenhaus Waldfriede in Berlin with Dr. Erbenich one of the panel physicians in Germany. I would like to share my thoughts about it.
It took about 10 days to get my initial appointment. But Monday last week (2007-09-03) I was called: my medical needed to be postponed because the doc was ill. So it was transferred from Thursday last week (2007-09-06) to Tuesday this week (2007-09-11). (On the list provided by the Consulate, 2 docs are mentioned at this hospital, but there was never talk about the second nor did I find the second himself or a hint on him today while waiting.)
I needed to bring 3 photographs, passport, my vaccination records (Impfpass) and the fee in cash. If applicable one must also bring “doctor´s certificates for special preliminary tests, records of hospitalization, operations, accidents, etc., “ according to the “instructions for the medical examinations FRANKFURT” which were included in Pack 4.
After the administrational process I went through the questionnaire. The questions were about whether or not I have/had a mental disorder, physical disability, renal disorder, a stroke, seizure, malignancies (“specify”) and others. A total of about 20 to 25 questions.
After about 30 mins I went to see the doc. It was a pretty relaxed conversation about whether or not I take regularly drugs, I feel healthy, if something hurts, if I had ever had a broken bone and so on. He copied my vaccinations from my vaccination record onto the “vaccination documentation worksheet (DS-3025)”. I told him the year I had varicella. He wrote down “VH” which stands for varicella history. I did not need to present a “laboratory test showing evidence of the requisite antibodies” as stated in the previously mentioned “instructions for the medical examinations FRANKFURT”.
He also checked my eyes (including vision test. Therefore one must bring glasses or contacts!), my throat, my blood pressure, height and weight and did a physical examination using his stethoscope. It took a good 30 mins.
I also gave them a sample of my urine and the nurse/secretary took a blood sample from me. This was a little painful because either she had a bad day or was untrained. At least it took her quite a while to find a good spot on my crook of the arm. Previously I was told it would be very easy to find a good spot there.
The Thorax x-ray was done in a different building on the same campus where I needed to wait in line for about 40 mins. Afterwards it was examined by a doc and handed over to me. All in all it took nearly 2 and a half hours to complete my medical, most of it seating around talking to others who had their medical or reading a book.
I was told it takes about 3 days to get the laboratory test results before everything can be mailed to the Consulate.

The medical was 125 euros, payment accepted ONLY in cash. There is an additional 1,50 for the shipping expenses to the Consulate in Frankfurt. Alternativly one could pick up the results (in a sealed envelope) about one week after the medical to take them to the interview in Frankfurt. At the end I was given a copy of the “vaccination documentation worksheet (DS-3025)” and was told to take my x-ray as carry-on luggage when flying to the US.

Summary: I would do the medical again at this hospital. It was convenient for me to do it here in Berlin. The long duration of the medical (meaning the times in between different parts of it) was a little annoying though. I hope that the results of my medical will be at the Consulate prior to my interview to get the visa (a day or so) quicker than usual.

T.

Do I understand you correctly, that if you already had varicella, you don't have to get the shot?

lol I was born in that hospital.... to your question, go to your normal doctor with your vaccination records and tell him you need everything he can give you, the vaccination you need can be found on the embassy website. I did that around 1 1/2 weeks ago, and mine told me he would never ever give the shot for varicella when you had it already. so the answer is no, you don't have to have it when you had it already!

I just saw my doctor, and I only needed to refresh the tetanus thingy, the rest was fine! He wrote into my Impfausweis that I had varicella when I was 5, and that was that. Now I'm all set for my medical on the 6th... and for Rob's visit THIS week