“Back to School” Physicals at Walgreens

We’re getting ready for preschool and our first back to school season and a physical at Walgreens Healthcare Clinics. This opportunity comes at the perfect time, since Alina’s preschool paperwork has been staring at me for the last few weeks. Among the list of back to school supplies, miscellaneous forms and the school shirt order form, there was a health form required every year for every child to assert they are healthy and without physical restrictions.

Physicals at Walgreens

Seeing as this is our first year of the “back to school” season, I didn’t realize how cumbersome getting the physical form would be. Before agreeing to check out Walgreen’s Healthcare Clinics, I called our pediatrician’s office – there was a cost associated with having forms filled out and significant wait time, meanings I would have to come back another day to pick up the filled form. And since Alina starts preschool in just a week (WHAT?!), I decided to have some 1:1 time on a Saturday morning with my girl and check out what Walgreens Healthcare Clinics had to offer, as well as pick up her required back to school supplies.

Physical at Walgreens

Until September 30, all well-checks and physicals are 50% off at $39. Definitely take advantage of the deal, as after 9/30 the cost will go back up to $60 per physical. Our HealthCare Clinic Las Vegas was not busy at all, so the whole process went quick and smooth, but I got to tell ya, Alina was so. so. nervous. Poor baby.

This is her first “back to school” season, so all the hoopla has got her somewhat confused. And while she was excited at the chance to buy new crayons and markers for her class, she was not at all excited to be checked out by a doctor (nurse practitioner, in our case) that was not a familiar face.

I was able to calm her worries while we used the electronic keypad to sign in. She had a blast typing her name and our zip code. After that, we waited. Unfortunately for Alina, the wait wasn’t long at all (maybe about 10 minutes) and we were in a room getting my first baby’s first back to school physical ever. How surreal.

We talked about Doc McStuffins a bit as the Nurse Practitioner pulled out her equipment and instructed her where to stand, etc. She eventually caught on to my sensitive girl’s anxiety and began to tell her how brave she was and asked what grade she was going into. The NP was shocked to learn Alina was only just starting preschool. She called her “very tall and very smart”. My little one grinned happily.

The NP handed her a clip board with a coloring sheet and asked Alina to be patient while she asked me some questions. She sat like a little lady, with legs crossed, while I was asked the required inquires of the conditions of our home. When the NP asked if anyone in our home smoked, Alina picked her head up in shock! I asked her if she wanted to answer, and she told the NP, “No way! Smoking is NOT healthy!”. Haha! Not long ago we saw a man smoking and I told her it wasn’t healthy. The fact that she remembered made me one super proud mama.

The physical was done shortly thereafter. I have a perfectly healthy girl, who is all ready for preschool. I guess my biggest concern with using Walgreens Healthcare clinics for a sensitive kid like mine would just be if they were handled with care. For us, the Healthcare Clinic Las Vegas was definitely filled with ease and kindness. Our Nurse Practitioner was the sweetest and I would certainly consider their services in the