Most people schedule a doctor’s appointment because something is wrong. A cough that won’t quit. Back pain. A fever. That’s reasonable, it’s how we’re taught to think about medicine. Something breaks, you get it fixed.
But there’s a category of health problem that never announces itself. High blood pressure causes no symptoms. Neither does high cholesterol. Prediabetes typically causes none at all. Early kidney disease, thyroid disorders and several early-stage cancers can develop quietly for years while you feel completely normal.
That’s the uncomfortable arithmetic of preventive care: the conditions most worth catching early are the ones least likely to send you to a doctor.
An annual physical exam exists to close that gap. It’s the one appointment on your calendar that isn’t reacting to anything.
Below is what that visit actually involves, what we look for, and how to get the most out of it.
What exactly is an annual physical exam?
An annual physical is much more than checking your blood pressure and listening to your heart. Think of it as your yearly health assessment and preventive roadmap.
It’s dedicated time for your provider to review your medical history, family history, medications, lifestyle, vital signs, physical health, preventive screening needs, and risk factors for future disease, and to consider all of it together rather than one piece at a time.
The goal is to understand what’s happening today while also asking an equally important question: what can we do now to help keep you healthier in the years ahead?
You shouldn’t have to wait until disease announces itself before paying attention to your health.
An acute visit and an annual physical are not the same thing
This distinction matters more than most patients realize.
When you see a doctor for a cough, an infection, back pain or another immediate problem, the goal of that visit is narrow by design: diagnose the concern, treat it, resolve it. An acute visit asks, “What is wrong today?”
An annual physical asks something much broader: “How healthy are you overall, what risks should we be watching, and what can we do to protect your future?”
Both are important. But only one of them is looking ahead. Preventive medicine gives your provider the opportunity to step back from today’s symptoms and think about your overall health trajectory, which is a fundamentally different kind of appointment.
One practical note: if you bring a new medical problem to your preventive visit, evaluating and treating it may constitute a separate problem-oriented service, which can affect how the visit is billed. We’d still much rather know about your concern. Just mention it when you schedule so we can plan the time and explain any cost implications up front.
What happens during an annual physical?
Every patient is different. Your examination and recommendations are personalized according to your age, sex, medical history, family history, medications, lifestyle and individual risk factors.
A comprehensive annual physical may include the following four components.
1. Know your numbers
We begin with measurements that provide valuable information about your overall and metabolic health:
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate and pulse
- Weight and height
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Other clinically appropriate vital signs
Individually, these numbers can look unremarkable. Considered together, and alongside your medical and family history, they often tell an important story. A blood pressure reading that’s fine in isolation reads differently in someone with a strong family history of stroke.
Know your numbers. Understand your risks. Take control of your health.
2. A comprehensive medical and family history
Your family history is one of the most useful pieces of information you can bring us, and it’s frequently the most overlooked.
We review your personal and family history for conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, stroke, certain cancers, thyroid disorders, other inherited or familial conditions, and autoimmune conditions where relevant.
This isn’t box-checking. What we learn here directly shapes which preventive screenings, diagnostic evaluations or lifestyle interventions may be appropriate for you, and sometimes how early we start them.
3. A thorough physical examination
We don’t believe an annual physical should feel rushed.
Your provider performs a comprehensive examination based on your individual needs, which may include evaluation of your:
- General physical condition
- Heart and cardiovascular system
- Lungs and respiratory system
- Head and neck
- Abdomen
- Skin
- Musculoskeletal system
- Neurologic health
- Other systems when clinically indicated
The objective isn’t simply to check boxes. We’re looking for physical findings that may warrant further evaluation, while building a clearer overall picture of your health.
4. Laboratory and diagnostic evaluation
Laboratory testing may be recommended based on your age, history, symptoms, medications, risk factors and clinical findings. When medically appropriate, testing may help evaluate:
- Blood sugar and diabetes risk
- Cholesterol and cardiovascular risk
- Kidney function
- Liver function
- Thyroid function
- Blood counts
- Urinary abnormalities
- Vitamin or nutritional concerns, when indicated
- Hormonal concerns, when clinically appropriate
Additional diagnostic testing, including an EKG, may be performed when appropriate based on your health history, symptoms, risk profile and your provider’s assessment.
Our objective isn’t simply to order tests. It’s to order the right tests for the right patient, and then to make sure you understand what the results mean for your long-term health.
Cancer prevention and screening
Cancer screening is one of the most important conversations that can happen during a preventive visit, and one of the easiest to postpone indefinitely if no one brings it up.
Different cancers require different screening strategies. Your age, sex, smoking history, family history, previous screening results and other risk factors all affect what’s appropriate for you.
Depending on your circumstances, we may review, discuss or coordinate screening for:
Breast cancer. We review your breast cancer risk and appropriate mammography recommendations based on age and individual circumstances.
Cervical cancer. For appropriate patients, we review screening history and recommendations, including Pap and/or HPV testing as indicated.
Colorectal cancer. An important preventive measure. For average-risk adults, current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidance recommends screening beginning at age 45, with several screening options available.
Lung cancer. For patients who meet specific age and smoking-history criteria, low-dose CT screening may be appropriate.
Prostate cancer. For appropriate male patients, we discuss the potential benefits and limitations of screening and determine together, through shared decision-making, whether testing is right for you.
Skin cancer. We discuss concerning skin findings and individual skin-cancer risk, and can recommend further evaluation when appropriate.
The principle underneath all of this: cancer screening isn’t one test for everyone. It’s the right screening, for the right person, at the right time.
Prevention based on your age and risk
Healthcare needs change throughout life. The preventive priorities of someone in their 20s look very different from someone in their 40s, 50s, 60s or beyond.
We use evidence-based preventive guidance, including recommendations from organizations such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, while individualizing care to each patient. Depending on your age and risk factors, we may evaluate or discuss:
| Cardiovascular disease risk | Vaccinations |
| Diabetes | Bone health |
| High blood pressure | Tobacco use |
| Cholesterol | Alcohol use |
| Obesity and metabolic health | Nutrition |
| Cancer screenings | Physical activity |
| Women’s preventive health | Sleep |
| Men’s preventive health | Mental and emotional wellness |
The goal is to leave your annual visit with something genuinely valuable: a clearer understanding of your health, and a personalized roadmap for what comes next.
Women’s preventive health
Women’s preventive healthcare needs change across different stages of life, and a good annual visit should reflect that.
Depending on age, medical history and individual risk, our providers can discuss and coordinate women’s wellness examinations, cervical cancer screening, Pap testing when indicated, mammogram orders, breast health, menstrual concerns, contraception counseling, family planning, menopause-related concerns, metabolic health, and bone-health assessment.
Pia Reddy, PA-C, has a particular passion for women’s health and works with patients through every stage, from routine preventive screenings to hormonal concerns and family planning. Her goal is a visit where you feel comfortable raising anything and genuinely involved in the decisions.
Vaccinations are part of prevention too
Your annual physical is also a good opportunity to review whether your immunizations are up to date.
Vaccination needs change with age, medical conditions, occupation, travel history and other risk factors, and most people have no idea what they’re due for. Rather than waiting until something is overdue, we can review your history and recommend appropriate immunizations based on current guidelines and your individual circumstances.
If you have a vaccination record somewhere, bring it. It saves time and helps us avoid repeating doses you’ve already had.
Why we take longer than most practices
We believe primary care should be proactive, not simply reactive. That belief has a practical consequence: it takes time.
A comprehensive annual physical appointment at our practice may take approximately 60 to 90 minutes, depending on your individual needs and the services performed. We want enough time to understand your concerns, review your history, perform an appropriate examination, collect indicated laboratory specimens or perform diagnostic testing when needed, discuss preventive care, and answer your questions without anyone watching a clock.
After assessing your health, we also discuss something that can matter as much as any prescription: your everyday habits. Nutrition. Exercise. Sleep. Stress. Weight. Smoking. Alcohol. Your relationship with food. Work-life balance.
Small choices repeated every day compound significantly over years. Our goal isn’t simply to tell you a number is high or low, we want you to understand what it means and what you can actually do about it.
How to prepare for your annual physical
Bring:
- Photo ID
- Current insurance card
- Current medication and supplement list
- Relevant medical records, if available
- Previous laboratory or screening results, if relevant
- Your vaccination history, if available
- A written list of questions or health concerns you want to discuss
That last one matters more than people expect. It’s remarkably easy to walk out of an appointment having forgotten the thing you’d been meaning to ask about for six months.
About fasting: don’t automatically fast unless our office instructs you to. Some laboratory tests require fasting and others don’t. If fasting labs are planned for your visit, our clinical team will give you instructions beforehand, so your preparation matches the testing actually ordered for you.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an annual physical take?
Our comprehensive annual physical appointments may take approximately 60–90 minutes, depending on your history, examination, and whether laboratory collection or other clinically appropriate testing is performed.
Do I need to fast?
Not everyone needs to fast for an annual physical. If your provider plans testing that requires fasting, our team will provide instructions before your appointment.
Will I have blood work?
Laboratory testing depends on your age, medical history, symptoms, medications, previous results and individual risk factors. Your provider will determine which tests are appropriate for you.
Is an EKG included?
An EKG may be performed when clinically appropriate. It isn’t necessarily required for every asymptomatic patient.
Do you perform cancer screenings?
We evaluate your age, medical and family history and individual risk factors to determine which evidence-based cancer screenings may be appropriate. Some screenings can be performed in the clinic, while others require orders or referrals.
Can women have their preventive women’s health evaluation?
Yes. Depending on individual needs, this may include cervical cancer screening, Pap testing when indicated, breast-health assessment, mammogram orders and other preventive women’s health services.
Can I discuss an existing health problem during my physical?
Yes, and we want to know about your concerns. However, evaluation and treatment of new or existing medical conditions may constitute a separate problem-oriented service and could affect insurance billing or patient responsibility.
Does insurance cover my annual physical?
Many insurance plans include preventive benefits, but coverage varies significantly by plan. An annual preventive examination does not necessarily mean that every laboratory test, diagnostic procedure or additional problem addressed during the appointment will be covered at no cost. We recommend verifying your individual benefits with your insurance carrier.
How often should I have one?
Once a year for most adults. Annual visits let us track trends in your numbers over time, which often tells us more than any single result ever could.
Do you accept walk-ins?
Yes, and same-day availability is often possible. For a comprehensive annual physical, we do recommend scheduling ahead so we can reserve appropriate time for your evaluation.
Schedule your annual physical in The Colony or Frisco
Whether you feel perfectly healthy, haven’t seen a primary care physician recently, have a family history that concerns you, or simply want to understand your health better, your annual physical is an opportunity to take action.
Don’t wait for symptoms to become the reason you finally see a doctor.
Know your numbers. Understand your risks. Complete the screenings that are appropriate for you. Build your personal wellness roadmap.
Specialty Primary Care & Wellness is led by Dr. Koteshwara Nadipalli, MD, a Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician with more than 25 years of clinical, leadership and healthcare innovation experience, alongside Pia Reddy, PA-C. We serve patients throughout The Colony, Frisco, Plano and surrounding North Texas communities, and our practice has earned more than 700 Google reviews.
We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Cigna, Aetna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, MultiPlan and Medicare, and we welcome self-pay patients with cash-pay options. Insurance participation and individual benefits can change, so please verify coverage before your appointment.
New patients welcome. Same-day availability is often possible.
Schedule your annual physical → or call 972-887-7779
The Colony — 3800 Main St., Ste. 100, The Colony, TX 75056
Frisco — 11583 Independence Pkwy, Ste. 450, Frisco, TX 75035
Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
This article is provided for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. Examinations, screenings and testing are individualized and determined by your provider based on your age, sex, medical history, family history and risk factors. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
Written and medically reviewed by Koteshwara Nadipalli, MD, Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician.
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