Measles vaccine - how many doses

[JD2 122]

1 hour ago, alg_ said:

 

Already on the second Civil Surgeon. The first one was a disaster. Unfortunately it's 4 hours to the closest nearby Civil Surgeon so these trips are not easy to make. Will try to make it work with the current Civil Surgeon and see what happens, unfortunately I'm not very optimistic.

The problem is doctors rarely like to be corrected, even when they're wrong. It's the principle of it that bothers me, if you say something that is wrong and I can point you to the official guidelines that have to be followed that show you're wrong, you should just admit it. Most doctors just double down. The USCIS and CDC websites clearly state that only 1 dose is required unless there are special circumstances, which don't apply here.

Called the clinic today, told the nurse we were told we needed a second measles shot but the CDC website says only one is required, she said she will ask the doctor because he knows what's required. That makes literally no sense considering we just said he was wrong according to the CDC website.

Maybe just get the 2nd dose?  If you travel internationally in the future it might benefit and the side effects were nothing for my wife.

[Ontarkie 14,927]

14 hours ago, alg_ said:

 

Already on the second Civil Surgeon. The first one was a disaster. Unfortunately it's 4 hours to the closest nearby Civil Surgeon so these trips are not easy to make. Will try to make it work with the current Civil Surgeon and see what happens, unfortunately I'm not very optimistic.

The problem is doctors rarely like to be corrected, even when they're wrong. It's the principle of it that bothers me, if you say something that is wrong and I can point you to the official guidelines that have to be followed that show you're wrong, you should just admit it. Most doctors just double down. The USCIS and CDC websites clearly state that only 1 dose is required unless there are special circumstances, which don't apply here.

Called the clinic today, told the nurse we were told we needed a second measles shot but the CDC website says only one is required, she said she will ask the doctor because he knows what's required. That makes literally no sense considering we just said he was wrong according to the CDC website.

It sucks they don't admit they are wrong. That is just an ignorant doctor, who doesn't actually want to learn what is required. 

[TBoneTX 47,357]

3 hours ago, Ontarkie said:

It sucks they don't admit they are wrong. That is just an ignorant doctor, who doesn't actually want to learn what is required. 

DOCTOR COMPLEX

 

A long line of souls was waiting to enter the Pearly Gates into Heaven.  Suddenly, an old man in a white coat with a stethoscope came pushing his way to the front, exclaiming, "Let me by!  Coming through!  Move aside!  Important business!"

 

As the old man entered Heaven, the first soul in line asked St. Peter, "Who was that?"

 

"Ah, that's God," said St. Peter, rolling his eyes in bored fashion.  "He just THINKS he's a doctor."

 

[Edward and Jaycel 1,805]

18 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

DOCTOR COMPLEX

 

As a former paramedic, I can't tell you how often I saw this 🤪

[alg_ 7]

Small update: 
Called on Wednesday and asked to speak with the Civil Surgeon or the Nurse. Eventually the Nurse called back and we said that we were told we needed 2 shots by the Civil Surgeon and we checked the CDC Website and it said 1. She said she will talk to the Civil Surgeon because he knows the requirements and give us a call back. None of this actually makes any sense since we called to say that the Civil Surgeon actually DOESN'T know the requirements that he is supposed to follow. 

Thursday: no call back or anything. Didn't call them as we had plans.

Called today, I mentioned the same thing. The woman at the front desk said that if the Civil Surgeon is requiring 2 shots then 2 shots are needed. I mentioned that the Civil Surgeon is working under USCIS guidelines and they point towards the CDC Vaccination Requirements which specify 1 shot. She told me the Civil Surgeon is actually not in today but he will be in on Monday and I should try calling then. I have a feeling they will be very difficult to deal with.

 

Just to be 100% sure on everything I called the CDC info line before calling the clinic and I was told that only 1 dose is required unless the individual is at high risk. The high risk scenarios were the ones listed earlier in the thread regarding students, people that have HIV, immunocompromised people in the household, and international travelers 2 weeks prior to departure. None of which apply to me.

[TBoneTX 47,357]

Persist.  If the doctor remains an idiot, gotta find another one -- and report him.

[alg_ 7]

Update:

Decided to just go to the clinic on Monday because we were getting nowhere with them on the phone. I brought printed pages off the CDC and USCIS websites and I highlighted all relevant parts, I even brought my laptop with me. When we got there I explained how we were told I needed 2 doses but the official guidelines and recommendations say I need 1, at which point I showed her all the papers I had. I asked if we could see the Civil Surgeon and she said he wasn't in at which point I mentioned that we were told on the phone that he would be in on Monday. I said we paid $300 and either we get our money back or we get the services we paid for done correctly, the woman at the front desk tried saying we already got services so there would be no money back. She wasn't having any of that until I mentioned filing a complaint with the State Medical Board. She took some of my papers and left.

 

After a small wait the CEO came and talked to us. I pulled out my laptop and walked him through everything starting from the USCIS website to the CDC website to the ACIP recommendation that go back to the CDC website where it finally says in clear letters: 1 dose. He had no counter argument and just said he will have to talk to his team and the Civil Surgeon that actually was there, the woman at the front desk had lied to us. 

 

After an even longer wait the CEO came back and directed us to a room in which we waited until the Civil Surgeon joined us. He asked what the problem was as if he had no idea and I told him how I only need 1 shot instead of the 2 he asked for. The started saying how he knows the requirements and it's actually the ACIP who makes them and it's 2 doses. I pulled out my laptop in front of him and opened the ACIP recommendations website that clearly shows 1 dose for routine vaccinations and he refused to look at it. He just kept saying there's no need for me to show him and would not even look. He filled out my I693 and did not mark my MMR as complete but wrote "1 dose documented" which does nothing for me and was still incorrect. I forgot to write my A-number on the top of the pages and I asked if I could do that really quick, he left the room so I had time to write that and review the I693 form. When he came back I mentioned that he filled out the vaccination part wrong and asked to have the CEO present in the room with us. He quickly changed his tune, took the Vaccination portion of the form and left the room to redo it. He eventually came back with it done correctly. I reviewed everything to make sure there were no errors and then I handed it back to him to have it sealed. We got our sealed envelope and copies and went on our way.

 

An absolutely exhausting process. Sorry for the really long post, we are just glad to finally have this whole thing behind us.

[TBoneTX 47,357]

2 hours ago, alg_ said:

An absolutely exhausting process.

Good grief.  How long in time did all this take?

Good that you stood up to him.  That butthole CS needs to be reported to the State Medical Board regardless.

 

Report his information and key portions of your experience here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/

 

Edited to add:  I just bumped that thread to the top of this forum.

Edited May 20 by TBoneTX

[alg_ 7]

9 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

Good grief.  How long in time did all this take?

Good that you stood up to him.  That butthole CS needs to be reported to the State Medical Board regardless.

 

Report his information and key portions of your experience here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/

 

Edited to add:  I just bumped that thread to the top of this forum.

 

It took close to 2 hours from when we arrived to when we left.

Does anyone know the process of reporting someone to the State Medical Board?

[MalloryCat 696]

4 minutes ago, alg_ said:

 

It took close to 2 hours from when we arrived to when we left.

Does anyone know the process of reporting someone to the State Medical Board?

it depends on your state

https://www.fsmb.org/contact-a-state-medical-board/

you should be able to find the right place to file a complaint here

 

[milimelo 4,693]

OP, glad you stood your ground and gotten them to fix the error and hopefully learn something - though I'm sure they'd never admit to being wrong. 

I'd definitely go with the report to the state medical board. And if there's a feedback form for USCIS on civil surgeons, consider providing your feedback there as well. I'm sure USCIS would like to know too. 

[OldUser 9,546]

18 hours ago, alg_ said:

Update:

Decided to just go to the clinic on Monday because we were getting nowhere with them on the phone. I brought printed pages off the CDC and USCIS websites and I highlighted all relevant parts, I even brought my laptop with me. When we got there I explained how we were told I needed 2 doses but the official guidelines and recommendations say I need 1, at which point I showed her all the papers I had. I asked if we could see the Civil Surgeon and she said he wasn't in at which point I mentioned that we were told on the phone that he would be in on Monday. I said we paid $300 and either we get our money back or we get the services we paid for done correctly, the woman at the front desk tried saying we already got services so there would be no money back. She wasn't having any of that until I mentioned filing a complaint with the State Medical Board. She took some of my papers and left.

 

After a small wait the CEO came and talked to us. I pulled out my laptop and walked him through everything starting from the USCIS website to the CDC website to the ACIP recommendation that go back to the CDC website where it finally says in clear letters: 1 dose. He had no counter argument and just said he will have to talk to his team and the Civil Surgeon that actually was there, the woman at the front desk had lied to us. 

 

After an even longer wait the CEO came back and directed us to a room in which we waited until the Civil Surgeon joined us. He asked what the problem was as if he had no idea and I told him how I only need 1 shot instead of the 2 he asked for. The started saying how he knows the requirements and it's actually the ACIP who makes them and it's 2 doses. I pulled out my laptop in front of him and opened the ACIP recommendations website that clearly shows 1 dose for routine vaccinations and he refused to look at it. He just kept saying there's no need for me to show him and would not even look. He filled out my I693 and did not mark my MMR as complete but wrote "1 dose documented" which does nothing for me and was still incorrect. I forgot to write my A-number on the top of the pages and I asked if I could do that really quick, he left the room so I had time to write that and review the I693 form. When he came back I mentioned that he filled out the vaccination part wrong and asked to have the CEO present in the room with us. He quickly changed his tune, took the Vaccination portion of the form and left the room to redo it. He eventually came back with it done correctly. I reviewed everything to make sure there were no errors and then I handed it back to him to have it sealed. We got our sealed envelope and copies and went on our way.

 

An absolutely exhausting process. Sorry for the really long post, we are just glad to finally have this whole thing behind us.

Amazing, so proud of you for forcing them to do their job properly! Sorry you had to do this, but hopefully next time they'll think twice about doing a sloppy job with forms.

[TBoneTX 47,357]

3 hours ago, OldUser said:

hopefully next time they'll think twice

Even better would be if the CS is booted before he has another chance to hose things.