Travel medicine
Preparing for international travel
Heading to an exotic beach? Hiking across Europe? Exploring South Africa on safari? Whether you're vacationing, working, volunteering, or living abroad, you should be prepared for possible illnesses and diseases that occur in other regions or countries.
We cover travel immunizations and access to travel medicine specialists. Together we can help you learn how to avoid risks, best manage pre-existing conditions, and take appropriate precautions before you begin your journey. Talk to your primary care provider to learn more or contact a travel medicine specialist today.
Who should get travel medicine services?
People who benefit from our travel medicine services include:
- All international travelers
- Cruise and adventure travelers
- Peace Corps members
- Disaster relief volunteers and staff
- Foreign-born nationals
- Missionaries and missions volunteers
- Students and school travel groups
- Military and reserve personnel
- Expectant women and children
- People with disabilities or health conditions who plan to travel
Travel medicine services
Travel medicine is more than just immunizations—although it is the place to go for those necessary shots. Expert travel medicine staff advise on travel health concerns, so you know what to expect during your trip.
At your appointment, you'll also receive the most current destination-specific recommendations from multiple resources, including updates about disease outbreak information, CDC guidelines, and U.S. State Department travel advisories. Our services include:
- Pre-trip health and safety counseling
- Country-specific information regarding disease risk and travel advisories/warnings
- Vaccinations
- Hepatitis A & B
- Typhoid
- Yellow fever
- Meningococcal
- Rabies
- Japanese B encephalitis
- Influenza
- Routine immunizations
- Travel-related prescriptions
- Malaria prophylaxis
- Travelers' diarrhea
- Altitude sickness
- Motion sickness
- Safety information for disaster relief volunteers deployed overseas or to affected regions in the United States
- Post-trip health evaluations
Plan ahead for appointments
Some immunizations require several weeks prior to travel for full effectiveness, so try to make an appointment six to eight weeks before you leave. If you've missed that timeline, it's still a good idea to make an appointment before your trip.
- Bring your immunization records to the appointment, if available
- Bring your trip itinerary with you if possible, so appropriate recommendations can be made
- Call Member Services to understand your travel immunization coverage
The consultation visit usually lasts 30-60 minutes depending on the number and types of vaccines that a patient receives.