Getting tested is quick and easy. However, being prepared can make the process that much smoother, especially if you’re feeling a little nervous or getting tested for the first time. Here are some tips for a simple and stress-free visit to the STI clinic:
- If you have specific questions about STIs, or your sexual health in general, consider writing them down and bringing your list of questions to the clinic. It’s easy to forget important questions when we’re there.
- Bring your health card. If you don’t have access to your health card, or don’t have one, check with the clinic ahead of time to make sure they can take you on as a patient without a health card.
- Think through your responses ahead of time. Typically, clinicians will ask questions about your sexual history that can include the number and gender(s) of your partner(s), if you’ve been monogamous or not, what kind of sex you’re having (oral? vaginal? anal?), when you last switched partner(s), and other behaviours that might impact whether or not certain tests are needed (for example, if you have had oral sex, they might swab your throat to test for chlamydia).