School, sports and camp all ask for a completed physical, and they mostly come out of the same annual checkup. Booking early is the difference between having the form in hand and chasing it the week before the season starts.
School physicals
The annual checkup is the school physical. Younger children’s visits focus on growth, development and immunizations. From adolescence the emphasis shifts — physical and emotional changes, sleep, mood, school, and a chance for your child to ask about things they may not raise at home.
Sports physicals
Leagues and schools generally require a sports physical before your child can play. It covers vitals, joints, flexibility and vision, looking for anything that could lead to injury during the season.
Book it at least six weeks before the season starts. That leaves time to sort out anything the exam turns up rather than losing the start of the season to it.
Camp physicals
Sometimes called a pre-participation physical. Not every camp asks for one, but it’s a sensible check before a few weeks away. As with sports, it doesn’t replace the annual physical.
When your child is due
The full schedule by age — how often, and what each visit covers — is on Well-Child Visits. If you’re not sure when your child was last seen, we can check.
Getting the form back
Completed forms are normally published to MyChart within 24 hours of the visit. Late summer is the busiest stretch of the year and it can stretch to seven to ten days, which is the practical argument for booking in spring.
If the form has to be filled in by us, hand it over at the start of the appointment rather than at the end.