Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s pediatric clinics are going above and beyond to help military families prepare for their kids’ return to school. As parents and students rush to complete their to-do lists — buying clothes and supplies or packing for college — making time to schedule required school physicals can be a challenge. To do their part in helping families get ready, Walter Reed is scheduling a series of “school physical rodeos” in August to alleviate some of the burden.

The rodeos are scheduled for two upcoming Saturdays, Aug. 8, and Aug. 15, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

“We’ll be adding three providers on each of the days of the rodeos,” said U.S. Army Maj. Michael Hirata, Walter Reed’s pediatric clinic service chief. “That will allow us to add an additional 60 appointments each day to the 20 that we already offer on the regular Saturday schedule.”

The school and sports physicals for young children will involve measuring them to determine if their growth pattern is normal, checking vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate, and performing hearing and vision screenings to ensure there are no issues. Additionally, providers will work with parents and students to develop an administrative plan, which addresses areas like food allergies, medication needs, asthma, and other concerns. An average physical, including the head-to-toe portion and administrative discussions, typically takes 10-15 minutes, barring any complications. Any other medical concerns will require a follow-up appointment during the regular work week.

“The goal is efficiency,” Hirata said. “We’re trying to do this as efficiently as possible so that we can see as many patients as possible, as safely as possible. This isn’t something we’ve been mandated to do. This is something we’re doing so that we can meet our patients’ needs.”

On Aug. 8, for those families with college-age children, a physician from the Adolescent and Young Adult Clinic performing school and sports physicals for patients up to age 25. On Aug. 15, only appointments for patients ages 5 to 21 will be available.

“Sports physicals are a simple way to make sure teens and young adults who are still growing and developing meet the basic requirements to safely participate in school and sports,” said U.S. Army Maj. (Dr.) Saira Ahmed, service chief for Walter Reed’s Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Clinic. “Before college, a physical helps confirm they’re healthy, meet school requirements and are ready to manage their health more independently as they start this next phase.”

Parents must obtain the proper forms from their children’s school and ensure the parent portion is completed prior to their appointment. They can then upload the school forms to each child’s individual MHS GENESIS account. If parents cannot access their children’s MHS GENESIS account, they are encouraged to bring paper copies of the forms to the appointment. Providers will review the entire packet with them and complete the clinic’s portion during the visit.

“It’s one of my favorite times of year,” said Janice McGirt, one of the staff pediatric nurse practitioners. “Part of primary care is growing with families. There’s something beautiful about being with families in the early part of their family building. If a family picks us to be their children’s consistent provider, we get to watch them grow. We get to see their joy or even their trepidation and hesitation about starting school. We try to talk them through that and make them excited for this new chapter in their lives. We then see them at follow up or subsequent appointments and check in on how their academic year is progressing. Hearing their new thoughts and insight is just so fun. They’re often little people with so much to say. School-age kids are my favorite. I think it’s fun to see them come into their own.”

To schedule an appointment for a school physical, please call the Walter’s Way phone number at 301-295-8901 or send a message to any provider in the Walter Reed Pediatric Green, Red, Blue or Adolescent teams through the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal.

To learn more about Walter Reed’s pediatric clinics, visit the Pediatric Primary Care Clinic or Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine webpages.