School Physicals Near MeWhich Florida form does your child actually need?
Two forms, two different jobs. The DH 3040 is the school-entry health exam. The DH 680 is the immunization certificate. Most families need both, and both are completed and signed during one visit in Miami, North Miami Beach or Plantation.
Florida School Physicals at a Glance
- The physical
- Form DH 3040, School-Entry Health Exam, completed within 12 months before initial entry
- The vaccines
- Form DH 680, Florida Certification of Immunization, required under Statute 1003.22
- Religious exemption
- Form DH 681 — issued only by a county health department, not by a doctor's office
- Who needs it
- Any child initially entering a Florida school, pre-K through grade 12
- EKG for school?
- No. The ECG requirement applies to FHSAA sports participation only. Read why
- ECG in office?
- Not performed here. The pediatrician refers to a pediatric cardiologist, and some referring cardiologists may do the screening at no cost — call the office and ask. More on ECG options
- Best time to book
- April to June. August is the busiest month of the year.
- Camp forms
- Completed at the same visit — summer camp physicals
- Insurance
- Usually covered as preventive care — pediatricians near me that accept Medicaid, plus pediatricians near me that accept Aetna, Cigna and Blue Cross
- Miami-Dade note
- M-DCPS athletic packets must be dated on or after June 1 to be valid for the coming school year
- Offices
- Miami 33147 · North Miami Beach 33169 · Plantation 33317 — pediatric clinic near you
- Physician
- Dr. Rozalyn A. Paschal-Thomas, MD — Dr. Rozalyn Paschal-Thomas's full biography
- To book
- (305) 758-0591 — or complete the new patient forms first
DH 3040 or DH 680? Which Florida Form Does My Child Need?
Both, usually — they do different jobs. The DH 3040 School-Entry Health Exam is the school physical itself. The DH 680 Florida Certification of Immunization is the vaccine record. Schools ask for both before a child first attends, and both can be completed in a single appointment.
This trips up a lot of families, partly because the two forms are handed over together and partly because plenty of websites use "DH 680" as shorthand for the school physical. It isn't. Getting the DH 680 signed does not mean the health examination is done.
| Form | What it is | Who completes it |
|---|---|---|
| DH 3040 | School-Entry Health Exam — the school physical. Medical history, growth, vital signs, vision and hearing screening, review of body systems. Must be within 12 months of initial entry. | Your pediatrician, at this visit |
| DH 680 | Florida Certification of Immunization — the vaccine record required under Statute 1003.22 before entering or attending school, pre-K through 12. Also documents a temporary or permanent medical exemption. | Your pediatrician, or the county health department |
| DH 681 | Religious Exemption from Immunization | County health department only — not a doctor's office |
| EL2 | FHSAA Preparticipation Physical Evaluation — the sports physical. Athletes only. | Your pediatrician, at a sports physical visit |
| EL1 | FHSAA ECG Screening Form, new for 2026–27. Records the heart screening result. | Usually the parent — a physician signs Section B only if a private provider performed the screening |
| EL3 | FHSAA Consent and Release. Revised this year — a copy saved from a previous season is out of date. | Parent and student |
A comparable provider form may be accepted in place of the DH 3040 if it contains a complete review of body systems including vision and hearing screening, height and weight. Out-of-state immunization records must be transferred onto a Florida DH 680 by a Florida provider. Districts can apply stricter rules, so check what your school specifically asks for — and in Miami-Dade, note that athletic packets must be dated on or after June 1 to count for the coming year.
Does My Child Need an EKG for School in Florida?
No. The electrocardiogram requirement under Florida's Second Chance Act applies to athletic participation, not school attendance. A child enrolling in or attending school does not need an ECG. What they need is the DH 3040 and the DH 680.
If your child is also playing a school sport, that is different. Under Florida Statute §1006.20, effective July 1, 2026, an ECG screening is required before any tryout, practice, workout or competition for all incoming ninth graders — including those who played in middle school — and for any student in grades 10 to 12 who has never taken part in an FHSAA-sanctioned sport. Returning athletes are not required to have one, though it is encouraged.
It is a one-time screening for the whole of high school, not an annual test. An ECG performed on or after July 1, 2024 already satisfies it. The result is documented on the FHSAA EL1 form.
Where to Get the ECG, and What It Should Cost
This office does not perform ECGs. The pediatrician refers to a pediatric cardiologist — and some of the cardiologists this practice refers to may perform the screening at no cost. Whether that applies to your child depends on the referral and your circumstances, so call the office and ask; staff can explain the current options. Between that, your school and community screening events, most families should not need to pay much, if anything.
Florida requires school districts to arrange low-cost ECG partnerships for families, and school-based screenings are capped at $50 under state guidance. Many districts run screening days on campus. Your child's athletic director will know the schedule, which changes district to district and year to year.
Community screening events are the other route. WhoWePlayFor.org lists free and low-cost screening dates around Florida, and their events are specifically set up for student athletes.
| Route | Typical cost | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Ask this office first | Possibly no cost — some referring cardiologists offer the screening free | Call (305) 758-0591. Staff can explain what is currently available and whether it applies to your child. |
| School or district screening day | Capped at $50 under state guidance; often less | Ask your child's athletic director for the date. |
| Community event (WhoWePlayFor and similar) | Often free | If the school has no date, or you missed it |
| Pediatric cardiologist, standard referral | Billed to insurance, or self-pay | When there are symptoms, a family history of sudden cardiac death, or a screening ECG that needs follow-up |
Who fills in the EL1? In most cases the parent or guardian completes and signs it. A physician signature is only required in Section B when a private healthcare provider performed the screening. Parents frequently call to book a doctor's appointment they do not need — check the form first.
If something is found, the pediatrician is the right first call. She knows your child's history, and she makes the cardiology referral with that history attached. Follow-up before clearance is documented on the FHSAA EL1/2s form.
One thing worth doing before you book anything: ring the office. Free and low-cost screening options change from season to season and district to district, and the front desk will know what is currently available — including whether a no-cost cardiology referral is an option for your child. It is a two-minute call that can save a bill.
The sports side of all this — the EL2 preparticipation physical, what it covers and when to book — is on the sports physicals near me page.
Who Needs a School Physical in Florida?
Any child initially entering a Florida school, from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, needs a school-entry health examination completed within the previous twelve months.
- Starting pre-K or kindergarten. The most common reason families book, usually alongside the four- or five-year-old check-up.
- Moving to Florida from another state. An out-of-state physical may be accepted if it is within 12 months and covers a full review of body systems. Immunizations must be transferred onto a Florida DH 680 by a Florida provider.
- Transferring in from private school, home school or another country.
- Entering seventh grade. Additional immunizations are required at this grade level, so the DH 680 needs updating even where a new physical does not.
Dr. Rozalyn A. Paschal-Thomas, MD completes these for families across Miami-Dade and Broward — Northside, Liberty City, Brownsville, Miami Gardens, Opa-locka, Hialeah, North Miami, Aventura, Plantation, Lauderhill, Sunrise and Fort Lauderdale. Children are seen from birth through age 21, so the same physician handles pre-K entry and the twelfth-grade paperwork.
What Is Included in a School Physical?
Medical history, height and weight, vital signs, vision and hearing screening, and a head-to-toe review of body systems — the same components a full annual well-child physical exam covers, recorded on the school's form.
- Medical history review — allergies, medications, asthma and any chronic condition the school should know about
- Height, weight and BMI, plotted on growth charts against your child's own record
- Blood pressure and vital signs
- Vision screening — often where a problem affecting classroom work is first picked up
- Hearing screening, with referral if a concern is found
- Head-to-toe examination of eyes, ears, nose, throat, heart, lungs, abdomen, spine and skin
- Immunization review against the Florida schedule, with catch-up doses given if needed and the DH 680 certified
- Developmental and behavioural check, including anything that might affect learning
- Nutrition and growth guidance where useful, through the Nurture & Nourish childhood nutrition program
Because these are the same components as the annual well-child visit, one appointment usually covers both — and the well-child visit is covered as preventive care by Florida Medicaid and most commercial plans. Mention it when you book so the correct forms are ready. Growth and development are followed the same way at every age, from 2-year-old milestones and red flags onward, under the NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home model.
When Should I Book? Not August.
April to June. August is the busiest month of the year for pediatric offices across Miami-Dade and Broward, and appointments fill weeks ahead. Booking in spring means the forms are done before the rush, with time for anything that turns up.
Two reasons that timing matters more than it sounds. First, if the physical finds something needing attention — a hearing referral, a blood pressure reading worth rechecking, a vaccine that is behind — there is room to sort it before term starts rather than in the week before. Second, if your child is also playing a sport, the ECG requirement adds a step that depends on a screening date you do not control.
The practice's early scheduling guide for school physicals goes into more detail, and the Hazel Health partnership connecting students to primary care reaches children through their schools. Follow-up questions after a physical can often be handled by pediatric telemedicine rather than a second trip.
Summer Camp Physicals
Camp health forms are completed during the same visit as school forms. Requirements vary by programme — day camps, sleepaway camps, sports camps and church programmes all use their own paperwork — so bring whatever the camp supplied.
Most Florida camps ask for something close to the school-entry exam: a recent physical, an immunization record, and a signed medical release. Many also want details of allergies, an asthma action plan, or authorisation to hold and give medication. Those are all completed at the visit if you bring the forms.
Book camp physicals in spring. Camp forms and school forms compete for exactly the same June and July appointments, and camp deadlines usually land earlier. If your child needs both, one visit covers both — say so when you call so the front desk allows the time.
What to Bring
Bringing the right blank forms is the single most common reason a family has to make a second trip.
Forms and documents
- Blank DH 3040, if the school supplied one
- Existing immunization record
- Camp or after-school forms
- Insurance card
- Photo identification
- New patient forms, if it is a first visit
Health information
- Current medications and doses
- Inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector details
- Known allergies
- Records from a previous pediatrician
- Any specialist reports
For your child
- Glasses or contact lenses, if worn
- Hearing aids, if worn
- Clothing that is easy to remove
- Questions written down
Where to Book a School Physical
Three offices across Miami-Dade and Broward, sharing one medical record.
Miami pediatric clinic near me
7900 NW 27th Ave, Suite 50
Miami, FL 33147 — Northside Shopping Center
Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM · Sat 9 AM–1 PM
Saturday mornings suit families who cannot take a school day off. Also the pediatrician in Miami page.
North Miami Beach pediatric clinic near me
16800 NW 2nd Avenue, Suite 308
North Miami Beach, FL 33169 — Jackson North Medical Plaza
Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM · Sat 9 AM–1 PM
Serves North Miami, Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Golden Glades and Ives Estates.
Pediatric clinic in Plantation FL
660 N. State Rd. 7, Suite 4
Plantation, FL 33317 — Broward County
Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM · Closed Saturday
Serves Plantation, Lauderhill, Sunrise, Davie and Fort Lauderdale. Also the pediatrician in Plantation page.
Not sure which is closest? Compare all three at the pediatric clinic near you page, or start from the kids doctor near me in Miami overview.
Questions Parents Ask
For more, see the pediatric questions parents ask most.
No. The DH 680 is the Florida Certification of Immunization — the vaccine record. The school physical, or school-entry health examination, is documented on form DH 3040. A comparable provider form may be accepted if it contains a complete review of body systems including vision and hearing screening, height and weight. Most families need both forms, and both are completed in one visit.
No. Florida's Second Chance Act ECG requirement applies to athletic participation, not school attendance. A child enrolling in or attending school needs the DH 3040 and DH 680, not an ECG. If your child is also playing an FHSAA-sanctioned sport, the requirement takes effect July 1, 2026 for all incoming ninth graders and for any student in grades 10 to 12 who has never played one. See the full explanation.
No, ECGs are not performed in this office — the pediatrician refers to a pediatric cardiologist. Some of the cardiologists this practice refers to may perform the screening at no cost, so call (305) 758-0591 and ask before you book anything; staff can explain what is currently available. Other low-cost routes are your school or district screening day, which state guidance caps at $50, and free community events through WhoWePlayFor.org. See where to get the ECG.
In most cases the parent or guardian completes and signs it. A physician signature is only required in Section B when a private healthcare provider performed the screening. Many parents book a doctor's appointment they do not actually need — read the form first. Follow-up before clearance, if any is needed, is documented on the EL1/2s form.
No. The FHSAA EL3 Consent and Release was revised for 2026–27 to include the new statute language, so a copy saved from a previous season is out of date. Download the current version from fhsaa.com or use the packet your school issues. The first four pages of the EL2 did not change.
Any child initially entering a Florida school, pre-K through grade 12, needs a health examination completed within the previous twelve months. That includes children starting pre-K or kindergarten, moving to Florida from another state, or transferring from private or home school. Districts can apply additional requirements, so check with your school.
April to June. August is the busiest month of the year across Miami-Dade and Broward pediatric offices. Booking in spring means the forms are done ahead of the rush, with time for any follow-up. See the early scheduling guide for school physicals.
No, though they overlap. A wellness check — the annual well-child visit — is the full preventive examination covering growth, development, screening and immunizations. A school physical is the clearance exam a school requires, recorded on the DH 3040. Because the wellness check contains everything the school physical needs, one appointment satisfies both. See annual well-child physical exam.
Yes, at the same visit as school forms. Camp requirements vary by programme — day camps, sleepaway camps and sports camps all use their own paperwork, and many also want an allergy or asthma action plan and medication authorisation. Bring whatever the camp supplied. Book in spring, since camp and school forms compete for the same June and July appointments. See summer camp physicals.
Most plans cover the annual well-child visit as preventive care, and that visit satisfies the school requirement. This practice accepts Florida Medicaid and most major commercial insurance plans, plus cash, debit and credit card. No one is denied access to services due to inability to pay. See also Medicaid pediatric care in Miami, North Miami Beach and Plantation.
An out-of-state physical may be accepted if it was completed within the previous twelve months and covers a full review of body systems including vision and hearing. Immunizations, however, must be transferred onto a Florida DH 680 by a Florida provider — an out-of-state vaccine record is not sufficient on its own. Bring whatever records you have, even partial ones, and the office will work out what is still needed.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools requires that an athletic physical packet be dated on or after June 1 of the current year to be valid for the upcoming school year. A physical completed in May will not count for the following season even though it is less than twelve months old. This applies to the athletic packet; school-entry requirements follow the twelve-month rule instead. Check with your school, since districts can set stricter rules.
Call the office nearest you and complete the new patient forms in advance. Bring records from a previous pediatrician if you have them. Here is what happens at a baby's first pediatrician visit, and care continues from newborn pediatrician care through age 21 at a Black-owned pediatric practice in Miami. More guidance is on the parent guides on the pediatric blog.
Book Before the August Rush
School, camp and immunization forms completed and signed during the visit. Medicaid accepted, se habla español.