An annual exam is the one visit a year that is about keeping you well rather than fixing something that has gone wrong. It is when we catch high blood pressure, rising blood sugar or cholesterol, and early cancers while they are silent and most treatable, bring your vaccines up to date, and talk through the habits that shape your health over the long run.
At NYMD Center the annual physical is done by our internal medicine physicians, and it is built around you rather than a fixed checklist. What we screen for depends on your age, sex, family history and risk factors, and we follow the evidence-based recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) so that you get the tests that help and skip the ones that do not. Because our group also includes urology, gynecology and vascular care, follow-up on anything we find can often stay within the same practice.
What an annual exam includes
Every visit starts with your history. You will fill out a questionnaire about your medical history, medications, family history, habits and any symptoms, and your physician goes over it with you and asks follow-up questions. We then check your vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and weight, calculate your body mass index, and do a physical examination of the heart, lungs, abdomen, skin, reflexes and other systems as your history calls for.
Blood work is ordered based on your age and risk, not by reflex. For many adults that means a cholesterol panel and a blood sugar or A1c test, with other tests added when there is a reason. We also screen for depression, review alcohol and tobacco use, and talk about diet, exercise, sleep and weight.
Age-appropriate screening
Screening recommendations change with age. These are the main USPSTF recommendations we apply for adults at average risk; your family history or other conditions may call for earlier or more frequent testing.
Heart and metabolic health. The USPSTF recommends blood pressure screening for all adults, yearly from age 40 or for anyone at higher risk, and confirming a high reading outside the office before starting treatment. It recommends screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in adults 35 to 70 who have overweight or obesity, and considering statin treatment for adults 40 to 75 with risk factors based on their estimated ten-year risk, which is why we check cholesterol. Patients with a family history or several risk factors may benefit from our heart and stroke risk factor screening.
Cancer. The USPSTF recommends mammography every two years for women 40 to 74 (updated in 2024), cervical screening from 21 to 65, colorectal cancer screening from 45 to 75, and yearly low-dose CT lung screening for adults 50 to 80 with a significant smoking history. Our urologists recommend starting PSA screening at 50, or at 40 to 45 for Black men, men whose father or brother had prostate cancer, and BRCA carriers; after 70 it is an individual decision, and our prostate cancer screening program can guide next steps. Our cancer screenings page covers each test in detail.
Other screening. The USPSTF recommends testing for hepatitis C in adults 18 to 79 and HIV from 15 to 65, a one-time ultrasound for abdominal aortic aneurysm in men 65 to 75 who have ever smoked, and bone density screening for women 65 and older and for younger postmenopausal women at increased risk. We arrange osteoporosis screening when you are due.
Vaccines and counseling
We review your vaccination record at every annual exam, including flu, COVID-19, tetanus, shingles, pneumococcal and others depending on your age and health, and recommend what you are due for. Our vaccination review page explains the adult schedule. We also use the visit for counseling that matters: quitting smoking, drinking less, managing weight, staying active, protecting your sleep and planning for the screenings ahead.
How to prepare
Gather any information about your medical history the doctor might need, including records or results from other physicians, and bring a list of your medications and supplements with doses. Know your family history as well as you can, especially heart disease, diabetes and cancers in parents and siblings and the ages at which they occurred. Wear comfortable clothing that is easy to move in. Patients tell us it helps to arrive with a written list of questions, so nothing gets forgotten. If we plan fasting blood work, we will tell you ahead of time; otherwise there is no need to skip breakfast.
What to expect at your visit
Depending on the reason for the exam, plan on about 30 to 45 minutes. On arrival you will complete the health questionnaire, then meet your physician to review it, have your vitals checked and be examined. Blood can usually be drawn the same day. Before you leave, you will know which screenings you are due for and how they will be scheduled, and we review your lab results with you once they are back. If you need a physical form completed for work, sports or other activities, bring it and we will fill it out at the end of the exam. We care for adults only; children should see a pediatrician for physicals and school or camp forms.
Is an annual exam covered by insurance?
Often, yes. According to HealthCare.gov, Marketplace plans must cover many preventive services, such as blood pressure, depression and cholesterol screening, without a copayment or coinsurance when you see an in-network provider, even before you meet your deductible. Coverage is not guaranteed in every case, and problems addressed during the visit, such as a new symptom or a chronic condition, may be billed separately. Check with your insurer if you are unsure.
Questions patients ask
How long does an annual physical take?
Plan on about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the reason for the exam and how much there is to discuss. That includes completing a health questionnaire, reviewing it with your physician, checking your vital signs and a physical examination. Blood work can usually be drawn at the same visit, and results are reviewed with you once they are back.
Do I need to fast before my annual exam?
Usually not. Many cholesterol and blood sugar tests can be done without fasting. If your physician wants a fasting test, such as a fasting glucose, we will tell you ahead of time to skip food overnight. Water and your usual medications are generally fine unless you are told otherwise.
What screenings will I get at my age?
It depends on your age, sex, family history and risk factors. Most adults have blood pressure checked, and many need cholesterol and diabetes screening. Cancer screening starts at 21 for cervical, 40 for breast, and 45 for colorectal cancer, with lung and prostate screening discussed for eligible adults. We tailor the list to you following USPSTF recommendations.
Is an annual physical free with insurance?
Many plans cover preventive visits and recommended screenings with no copayment or coinsurance when you see an in-network provider, even before your deductible. However, $0 cost is not guaranteed, and new problems or chronic conditions addressed during the visit may be billed separately. Check your plan's preventive care benefits if you are unsure.
Can you fill out forms for work or sports?
Yes. Bring any required physical form to your visit and we will complete it at the end of the exam, noting whether you are cleared for the activity. We care for adults only, so a child's physical should be done by a pediatrician.