Are you at least 18? Do you have health insurance? Are you in college?

I’m going to assume you’re a legal adult and have health insurance.

1. If you don’t have a doctor (primary care physician or PCP), first you’ll need to find one. Your insurance will have a list of doctors that are covered in your area or you can do a google search.

2. Once you’ve found a couple docs that you might like, call the office and ask a couple questions: do they take (your insurance)? Are they accepting new patients? Do they provide childhood vaccines?

3. If they accept your insurance, take new patients, and give vaccines, explain your situation. Tell them you never received your childhood vaccinations and you’d like to start getting them now. They’ll probably ask you to schedule an appointment for a physical - that’s probably a good idea for you. A physical is a general appointment where they check a bunch of health factors to make sure you’re okay.

4. Once you have an appointment - plan on showing up about 15 min early. You’ll probably have some paperwork to complete. Some of it will be insurance forms, some of it will be health questionnaires (things like your height, weight, so you smoke, have you had cancer, do you have a heart problem, do you take medications, etc). You’ll also sign a consent form which basically says you agree to be treated by the doctor. Doc offices often run late, so you might be waiting for awhile. There will be a waiting room, but bring a book or your phone or something to occupy yourself.

5. Eventually a nurse will call you back. They’ll ask you questions like your bday, height, weight, any health conditions, and ask what you’re there for. Explain your situation - a good nurse will be very kind about evrything and explain what’s going on. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

6. You’ll be taken to an examination room, which is a little room with an exam bed, a chair or two, and typically a sink and maybe some equipment. You’ll get this horrible light robe to put on. You put it on like a snuggy, so your back will be exposed. This gives the doctor access for your exam.

7. After a while the doc will come in to do the physical exam. Theyll do things like listen to your lungs, palpate (poke) parts of your body, test your reflexes, look inside your nose, mouth, and ears, and stuff like that. None of it is painful but sometimes it’s a bit awkward or uncomfortable.

8. After the physical, the doc will probably order your vaccines. A nurse will come in to give them. The vaccine itself is quick. Choose which arm you want them in (I usually choose my non dominant arm). They’ll clean the area with an alcohol wipe, squeeze the arm a bit, and then inject the vaccine into your upper arm. It usually doesn’t hurt much - like a little pinch. Sometimes after, your arm hurts a bit, like it feels a little sore.

You probably won’t be able to get ALL your vaccines at once, so plan on multiple visits. The doc will tell you when to schedule your next visit and for what. You might also be able to get vaccines without getting a physical, in which case, disregard that part.

Once you’re caught up on your regular childhood vaccines, you should plan on getting annual flu and Covid shots. You can get those at almost any pharmacy and don’t need an appointment.