How to Use Travel Health Clinics for Pre-Trip Medication Planning

Planning a trip abroad? Don’t just pack your suitcase-pack your health too. Many travelers think a quick visit to their regular doctor or a pharmacy is enough before heading overseas. But if you’re going to a country with different disease risks, that’s not enough. Travel health clinics are designed for exactly this: making sure you don’t get sick because you didn’t plan ahead.

Why a Travel Health Clinic Is Different From Your Regular Doctor

Your family doctor knows your medical history. But they don’t know that malaria is resistant to chloroquine in Ghana, or that yellow fever vaccination must be given at a certified clinic to be valid. Travel health clinics specialize in this. They track outbreaks, update their protocols every quarter, and know exactly which medications work where-and when to start them.

According to the CDC, travelers who see a travel clinic are 63% less likely to get sick on the road than those who don’t. Why? Because these clinics don’t just hand out prescriptions. They build a full prevention plan: vaccines, pills, advice on water safety, and even what to do if you get diarrhea 3,000 miles from home.

What Happens During a Travel Health Consultation

A typical appointment lasts 30 to 45 minutes. You won’t be rushed. The provider will ask for details like:

• Where exactly you’re going (not just ‘Thailand’-but Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and jungle treks)
• How long you’ll stay
• What you’ll be doing (hiking, street food, volunteering, luxury resorts)
• Your medical history (especially if you have diabetes, asthma, or take immunosuppressants)

Based on that, they’ll recommend:

• Vaccines (like typhoid, hepatitis A, or yellow fever)
• Prophylactic medications (like malaria pills)
• Emergency meds (like azithromycin for traveler’s diarrhea)
• Supplies (oral rehydration salts, insect repellent with DEET, water filters)

For example, if you’re going to Uganda, you’ll likely need atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone) for malaria prevention. But if you’re heading to India, doxycycline might be better because of local resistance patterns. The clinic will tell you exactly when to start taking it-some meds need to begin 1 to 3 weeks before you leave.

Medications You Might Get (And When to Start)

Here’s what you might walk out with, and why timing matters:

• Malaria pills: Malarone starts 1-2 days before travel; doxycycline starts 1-2 days before; mefloquine starts 2-3 weeks before. Missing the start window means you’re unprotected.
• Yellow fever vaccine: Must be given at least 10 days before travel. Only certified clinics can give it-and they’ll give you the official International Certificate, which some countries check at entry.
• Traveler’s diarrhea treatment: Azithromycin (500 mg daily for 3 days) is now preferred over older antibiotics like ciprofloxacin. The clinic will tell you to carry it and only take it if you have watery diarrhea with fever or blood.
• Altitude sickness: If you’re trekking in the Andes or Himalayas, acetazolamide (Diamox) at 125 mg twice daily, starting 24-48 hours before ascent, can prevent headaches, nausea, and worse.

Don’t assume your regular pharmacy can advise on this. Many don’t know the difference between prophylactic and treatment doses-or that some meds interact with birth control or heart medications.

Where to Find a Travel Health Clinic

There are over 1,200 travel health clinics in the U.S. as of 2025. They fall into four main types:

• University hospitals (like UCLA, Stanford, UC Davis): Often the most thorough. Consultations cost $150-$250. Insurance rarely covers them, but they handle complex cases best.
• Retail clinics (CVS MinuteClinic, Walgreens): Cheaper ($129), sometimes covered by insurance. Good for routine trips, but they won’t handle chronic conditions or complex itineraries.
• Private travel clinics: Often run by infectious disease specialists. Best for long-term travelers or those with complicated health needs.
• Hospital-based programs (Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente): Mayo offers virtual visits now-great if you’re busy. Kaiser only serves members and requires 6-8 weeks’ notice.

If you’re unsure where to go, the CDC’s website has a searchable list of certified yellow fever clinics. That’s a good starting point-even if you don’t need yellow fever, certified clinics follow strict guidelines.

Timing Is Everything

The biggest mistake travelers make? Waiting too long.

The CDC says: ‘Ideally, schedule your appointment 4 to 8 weeks before departure.’ Why? Some vaccines need multiple doses over weeks. Malaria pills need to be started before you’re exposed. The yellow fever vaccine takes 10 days to become effective.

But what if you’re leaving in two weeks? Don’t panic. Even last-minute visits help. UC Davis says a consultation a week out can still get you critical meds like azithromycin, insect repellent, and advice on avoiding contaminated water. You won’t get full vaccine protection-but you’ll reduce your risk.

Special Cases: Chronic Conditions and Kids

If you have diabetes, heart disease, or take blood thinners, your travel plan needs extra care. A 2023 study found that 42% of complex cases at Stanford’s clinic required coordination between the travel doctor and the patient’s primary physician. Don’t assume your travel clinic will know your full history-bring your medication list and recent lab results.

Kids need special attention too. Some vaccines have age restrictions. Malaria pills aren’t approved for infants under 5 months. Diarrhea treatment dosing changes by weight. A good travel clinic will tailor everything to age, weight, and developmental stage.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

Be prepared. The more info you give, the better your plan will be:

• Travel itinerary (dates, cities, activities)
• List of current medications (including supplements)
• Immunization records (even old ones)
• Insurance card (some clinics bill insurance for vaccines)
• Questions written down (don’t rely on memory)

Don’t forget to ask: ‘What if I lose my meds?’ or ‘Can I get a backup prescription?’ Many clinics now offer digital copies of your medication list and vaccination record via email or app.

What Not to Do

Avoid these common traps:

• Don’t assume ‘everywhere in Southeast Asia’ is the same. Bali’s risks are different from Laos.
• Don’t skip malaria pills because you ‘don’t feel like taking them every day.’ Incomplete use is the #1 reason travelers get malaria.
• Don’t buy meds online without a prescription. Counterfeit antimalarials are common in some countries.
• Don’t rely on ‘natural remedies’ like garlic or vitamin B12 for malaria prevention. They don’t work.

What Comes After the Appointment

After your visit, you’ll get:

• A printed or digital list of vaccines and meds
• Instructions on when and how to take each one
• Emergency contact info for medical help abroad
• Your yellow fever certificate (if applicable)

Set phone reminders for when to start each medication. Pack your pills in your carry-on. Bring extra in case your luggage gets lost.

Future of Travel Health

The field is evolving fast. By 2026, 80% of clinics will use AI tools that cross-reference your health profile with real-time outbreak data. Stanford is even testing genetic tests to see which antimalarial drug your body handles best.

But for now, the best tool is still a good consultation-done early, done right.

Frequently Asked Questions