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Medical issues

Health-care is a very important issue in the life of a missionary. If you can't effectively do your work due to regular illnesses or overall poor health, you don't need to be overseas.

You may feel fine and healthy, but that is a diagnosis that our doctors will determine with you, and sometimes the decision is made in consultation with your personal physician.

There are places in the world that have totally inadequate medical care. Think about it—do you want to have health-care problems in a third world country?

It is extremely important to include a valid e-mail address with your Comprehensive Health Questionnaire (CHQ) and other IMB paperwork! If our doctors need additional information, they will send an e-mail requesting this information from you or your doctor. If it does not return to us as undeliverable, we assume you received it!

Look at the "Questions" page so that you will not be caught off guard and delayed due to the need for additional health clarification before medical clearance will be granted. No one moves through the process without securing medical clearance.

The CHQ is completed online, so read the instructions first.

Physical examinations:

In order to be good stewards of the resources that Southern Baptists have entrusted to the IMB and to prepare to send people to the field in good physical condition, we are asking every applicant 40 years old and above to get a simple physical from your personal physician at the time you are submitting your application. You will need to have your physician return the completed form directly back to the IMB’s Medical Department for review. If we fail to receive your report by the application deadline, it may result in your being delayed until the next available deadline. In addition, we would encourage everyone under 40 to have this checkup with your physician.