USCIS Professional Standards & Competencies 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A civil surgeon receives a completed Form I-693 that was partially filled out by the applicant before arriving at the office. What must the civil surgeon do?
- Accept the pre-filled sections and complete only the clinical findings
- Verify and take full responsibility for all entries, correcting any inaccuracies (Correct answer)
- Return the form to USCIS and request a blank replacement
- Staple a note explaining which sections were pre-filled by the applicant
Correct answer: Verify and take full responsibility for all entries, correcting any inaccuracies
The civil surgeon is ultimately responsible for the accuracy of all information on Form I-693, and must verify and correct any pre-filled information before signing.
Question 2: Under USCIS policy, which of the following is an acceptable reason for a civil surgeon to decline to perform an immigration medical exam?
- The applicant is from a country with a high rate of communicable disease
- The civil surgeon does not have the medical equipment needed to conduct a proper exam (Correct answer)
- The applicant previously received a denial of immigration benefits
- The applicant is seeking adjustment of status rather than a visa
Correct answer: The civil surgeon does not have the medical equipment needed to conduct a proper exam
A civil surgeon may decline to perform an exam if they lack the necessary equipment or facilities to conduct it properly and in compliance with CDC Technical Instructions.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes a 'Class B' condition in the context of USCIS immigration medical exams?
- A condition that is automatically disqualifying for all visa types
- A physical or mental abnormality that does not meet Class A criteria but is of public health significance (Correct answer)
- A condition requiring mandatory hospitalization before the exam can proceed
- A minor cosmetic condition documented for the applicant's personal records
Correct answer: A physical or mental abnormality that does not meet Class A criteria but is of public health significance
Class B conditions are physical or mental abnormalities of public health significance that do not rise to the level of Class A inadmissibility grounds.
Question 4: If USCIS revokes a civil surgeon's designation, which of the following actions is the civil surgeon prohibited from taking?
- Continuing to practice general medicine in their state
- Appealing the revocation decision in writing to USCIS
- Completing any immigration medical exams started before revocation (Correct answer)
- Referring past patients to another designated civil surgeon
Correct answer: Completing any immigration medical exams started before revocation
Once a civil surgeon's designation is revoked, they may not complete any pending immigration medical exams, even those started prior to revocation.
Question 5: A civil surgeon is asked by an immigration attorney to complete Form I-693 based on records from a prior physician's exam rather than conducting a new examination. The civil surgeon should:
- Complete the form if the prior exam was conducted within 2 years
- Complete the form if both physicians are in the same medical group
- Refuse, as the civil surgeon must personally conduct the examination (Correct answer)
- Complete the form only if the prior physician was also a civil surgeon
Correct answer: Refuse, as the civil surgeon must personally conduct the examination
Civil surgeons must personally conduct each immigration medical examination; signing Form I-693 based solely on another physician's records is a violation of USCIS standards.
Question 6: When completing the syphilis serology section of Form I-693, a reactive screening test result requires which next step before documentation?
- Immediate reporting to USCIS as a Class A finding
- A confirmatory treponemal test to determine if the result represents active infection (Correct answer)
- Automatic classification as a Class B condition without further testing
- Referral to a specialist before the exam can continue
Correct answer: A confirmatory treponemal test to determine if the result represents active infection
A reactive syphilis screening test must be followed by a confirmatory treponemal test; the final classification depends on the confirmatory result and clinical history.
Question 7: Civil surgeons are required to complete training on which topic before USCIS will approve their initial designation?
- USCIS adjudication procedures and immigration law
- CDC Technical Instructions for civil surgeons, vaccination requirements, and Form I-693 completion (Correct answer)
- State-specific public health reporting regulations
- HIPAA compliance and patient billing standards
Correct answer: CDC Technical Instructions for civil surgeons, vaccination requirements, and Form I-693 completion
Applicants for civil surgeon designation must complete USCIS-required training covering CDC Technical Instructions, vaccination standards, and proper Form I-693 completion.
USCIS Professional Standards & Competencies 5
A civil surgeon receives a completed Form I-693 that was partially filled out by the applicant before arriving at the office.
What must the civil surgeon do?