What Happens at a Travel Clinic Visit? Your Calgary Guide

If you've never been to a travel clinic before, the process can feel a little mysterious. What exactly happens? How long does it take? Do you need to bring anything? At Imagine Health Pharmacy & Travel Clinic in SW Calgary, we want the experience to be as straightforward and stress-free as possible. Here's a step-by-step guide to what you can expect at your visit.

Step 1: Book Your Appointment

The first step is booking your free travel health consultation. You can book online through our travel health clinic page — no doctor's referral needed. We recommend booking at least 4–6 weeks before your departure date. If you're leaving sooner, still come in — we'll do everything we can to protect you with the time available.

When booking, note your destination(s), travel dates, and any planned activities. This helps our pharmacists prepare for your consultation in advance.

Step 2: What to Bring to Your Appointment

To make the most of your visit, bring:

• Your immunization records — the yellow Alberta immunization booklet if you have it, or any vaccination records from your doctor. This prevents unnecessary repeat vaccines.
• Your travel itinerary — cities, regions, and planned activities (safari, trekking, beach resort, rural travel, etc.)
• Your health insurance information — many extended benefits plans cover travel vaccines
• A list of any current medications and allergies
• Your passport or Alberta Health Card for identification

Don't worry if you don't have all of this — we'll work with what you have. The more information you can share, the more tailored your recommendations will be.

Step 3: The Travel Health Consultation (15–30 Minutes)

Your consultation is conducted by a specially trained travel health pharmacist. During this conversation, we will:

• Review your destination(s), itinerary, and planned activities
• Assess your personal health history, current medications, and any allergies
• Check your existing immunity and prior vaccinations
• Explain which vaccines are required vs. recommended for your trip
• Discuss non-vaccine risks: malaria, dengue, traveller's diarrhea, altitude sickness, sun, and water safety
• Answer all your questions — there are no dumb questions here

At the end of the consultation, we'll give you a clear, prioritized plan and let you decide what you'd like to proceed with.

Step 4: Receiving Your Vaccines

If you decide to proceed with vaccines — and most travellers do — we administer them right there at the pharmacy. No separate appointment needed, no trip to a clinic or public health office. Our pharmacists are certified to administer all travel vaccines, including Yellow Fever.

Most injections take less than a minute. We'll monitor you briefly afterward (usually 15 minutes) to ensure there's no immediate reaction, which is standard practice for all vaccine administrations.

Step 5: Prescriptions and Departure Documents

If your trip requires malaria prevention medication, a traveller's diarrhea antibiotic, altitude sickness medication, or motion sickness treatment, we'll prescribe and dispense these on the spot. You'll also receive:

• A printed record of all vaccines received (keep this with your travel documents)
• Your International Certificate of Vaccination (Yellow Card) if you received Yellow Fever vaccine
• Written instructions on taking any medications prescribed
• Our contact information in case questions arise before your trip

Walk Out Fully Protected in One Visit

That's it — one appointment, fully protected. Most travel clinic visits at Imagine Health Pharmacy in SW Calgary take 30–45 minutes from start to finish. No waiting rooms, no referrals, no multiple trips. Just clear, expert advice and everything you need to travel confidently.

Ready to book? Visit our travel health clinic page to schedule your free consultation today.

Plan Your Consultation by Destination

Before your visit, review our destination-specific guides to understand what vaccines may be needed:

• Thailand | India | Kenya | Jamaica
• Mexico | Vietnam | Brazil | South Africa

Browse all 50 destination guides →