A rant on attempting to book medical...

[pro_star 52]

Okay, so here's the fun facts.

Trying to book medical in vancouver.

Trying to do this CLOSE TO the time my interview is. At least I can change my interview date....

So I emailed Dr. Cheema's office. "okay, I'm coming from out of town for this, I was wondering how far in advance Dr. Cheema is booked up, so I can book my consulate interview accordingly."

They respond telling me to just book the appointment, they'll work around that. COOL. I can deal with this. Book for mid-may...figure that's enough time, right?

NOPE!!! Oh we're fully booked from May 5-21. Great. That's great. OKay. So look on the appointment booking portal. Plan on calling. Well, the number listed online is actually an UNCHECKED voice mail box saying "to book your appointment email us"

Great. That's bloody helpful. So bloody helpful. So I look at the schedule, pick some random days that look to still have avaliability around them that may work.

Can you tell me if Dr. Cheema is fully booked then?

Well you said your interview was May 14th, and we can get you in May 5th.

WHAT PART OF I'M COMING FROM CALGARY ARE YOU NOT UNDERSTANDING?!?!?!??!?!!?

So I responded saying Okay look, I'm coming from out of town is there a number I can call to schedule this and talk to a live person as opposed to the delays in email? (note I'm emailing this from my work email, which has a signature STATING WE'RE IN CALGARY)

Now we wait and see.

Cause really. Doing TWO trips to vancouver in one month is plausable for me. Or staying in a hotel for ten days. Yep...makes perfect freaking sense.

My head is going to explode.

I'm sorry, I just needed to vent.

[CanAm68 1]

It can be a total pain in the ### to book with them, and it's not like you have other choices so I completely feel for you.

If it were me, I would absolutely plead my case, over email of course to them and see if they can squeeze you in on the 9th or 12th. If not, and as upsetting as this likely is, you may want to see if you can pick up a cancelled appointment in the interview scheduling website that is outside of the Dr.'s 'booked-up' window.

May 14th is a Wednesday which is actually a perfect visa appointment day IF you can get into Dr. Cheema's on Monday 12th or Friday the 9th (which means you're staying the weekend bc you have to pick up your medical packet the afternoon of business the day AFTER your physical).

...Or you make two trips, which sucks because you'll be staying a couple of days for each trip which adds up quickly.

I get that they do the email scheduling so they can cover their ### but it's really off-putting bc you end up having these circular conversations while you are trying to coordinate everything...and Vancouver is expensive... and the whole thing is stressful.

I ended up stuck in Vancouver for two weeks because I was stupid and decided to wait for my visa to be issued as I was also from out-of-town. If you need advice on how to survive that mess let me know lol

Best of luck!

Ambz

[Emily and Nathan 39]

Wow.. Ya that really does suck.. I'm sure it will work out though.. I agree with the last person that posted... Plea your case... and see if there is a way they can squeeze ya in.. If not it might end up being something more inconvenient.. which really blows.. I'm sorry... Vent totally justified.

[Sweetmelissa 82]

Please keep me updated, I will be doing medical/interview in Vancouver soonish^TM (this summer). I live in Saskatchewan, and am SOOOO hoping that I can do it all one trip because that one trip will be expensive enough.

[cee-gee 20]

I completely agree with canam68.

I feel for you, I remember my frustration when booking my appointment; and I lived in Vancouver. The only thing I can suggest is to make a plea for your case and hopefully they can help you out. Best of luck!

Cheers!

[pro_star 52]

Okay update cause sadly I've been distracted by shiny things.

Managed to reschedule consulate interview...have the medical may 5th and the interview may 7th. They can courier me the visa - it's a lot cheaper doing it that way than paying for more hotel time!!

The huge issue here (why couldn't they have told me before) is that dr cheema will be away for that time. Fair enough, doctors are allowed vacations too just why couldn't you have said when I emails you first tell us when you book your medical but just be advised he's away middle of may (I'll post the dates for everyone's benefit when I'm back at the office tomorrow - all my correspondence has been through work email)

Anyway. I'll post up how I plan on getting around/places to stay/etc later on (dr cheemas office is...a little tricky to get to...it's 8km from the sky train and 5 km from the nearest hotel which is pretty sketchy....so we'll have to see if I can train/bus it or train/cab it. (Yes I'm probably going to fly since flying on air miles costs the same as gas would - that and there always landslides/avalanches along the trans Canada out around golden...last thing I need is the stress of being stuck cause they close the highway!)

So yay. We got things figured. Just took a bit of time and luck. ( doesn't help that my mind is really rather stressed with everything else going on right now)

[NikLR 13,220]

Looking on a map the consulate is about a 35 min drive or an hour by transit from the Dr's office. You may want to look into renting a car.

The nice part of Dr Cheema is you get the results back the next afternoon.

In Montreal I had to wait 3 days after the medical, spend the weekend in Montreal, then have my interview on the Monday morning.

Both Montreal and Vancouver courier your do not open package and visa/passport back to you. That's normal.

[pro_star 52]

Okay. Guys the black hole of no appointments at dr cheemas office is may 9-21st.

So those of you who are booking soon, bear that in mind.

[NikLR 13,220]

Okay. Guys the black hole of no appointments at dr cheemas office is may 9-21st.

So those of you who are booking soon, bear that in mind.

Thanks for posting this for others!

[pro_star 52]

Hey admittedly my brain has been scrambled with house selling stuff and stress relating to that - but I don't want any one else to be in the same blind panic of dear god how will I afford two Vancouver trips lol.

[NikLR 13,220]

I wish i'd flown twice to montreal. It would have been cheaper. $550 for flights but the week long hotel was $800.

plus the medical = just under $300. Plus food for the week.

[Jenny and Ryan 4]

I just did my medical exam with Dr Cheema at the end of last month. At that time they were very slow. They added me in early morning at 8:15. First I try to book it by email no reply. When I called it always goes to voicemail. So after finish play the voicemail, I press "0". Then waited for 15 mins, you can talk to their reception. The best time to call is after 4:00 that's the only time their staff work on medical exam.

For how to get there, I think the best way is driving on the exam date and taking skytrain to pick it up the result next day. The reason is the blood test and X ray are quite far from clinic about 10 mins driving. If you take skytrain, get off at 22nd street skytrain station, and then take bus for 20 mins to half hour. It will take you right in front of the clinic.

Hope it helps

Edited March 13, 2014 by Jenny and Ryan

[NikLR 13,220]

Oh that must be a PITA having to drive for the xrays and lab tests!

[pro_star 52]

Oh didn't realize I had to drive elsewhere!!! Now thanking all the deities out there I'll be renting a car (thank you air miles!)

Jenny and/or Ryan (sorry whoever posted that - beware mobile device!) thanks for posting that!!