These are the exams recommended by the Mayo Clinic and the National Women's Health Information Center (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). The recommendations are an outline only. If you have a family history of certain diseases, for instance, your doctor may recommend screening at a younger age or more often.
MEN AND WOMEN
| Age | Cholesterol | Colorectal* | Blood sugar | Eye |
| 18-39 | Baseline at 20 | N/A |
Baseline at 45; if results are normal, every 3 years |
1 baseline screening |
| 40-49 | Every 5 years; more often if ranges are “undesirable” | N/A | N/A | Every 2-4 years |
| 50-64 | Every 5 years; more often if ranges are “undesirable” | Every 5-10 years; yearly fecal test | If results are normal, every 3 years | Every 2-4 years |
| 65+ | Every 5 years; more often if ranges are “undesirable” | Every 5-10 years; yearly fecal test | If results are normal, every 3 years | Every 2-4 years |
*May include colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, double contrast barium enema, and fecal occult exam.
| Age | Hearing | Heart health/ blood pressure | Skin cancer/ mole exam | S.T.D. |
| 18-39 | Baseline at 18, then every 10 years | Baseline at 21, then every 2 years | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor | If sexually active, yearly until 25 |
| 40-49 | Every 10 years | Baseline EKG at 40, then every 2 years | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor | If multiple partners, discuss with doctor |
| 50-64 | As recommended | Yearly | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor | If multiple partners, discuss with doctor |
| 65+ | As recommended | Yearly | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor | If multiple partners, discuss with doctor |
WOMEN
| Age | Bone mineral density (X-ray) | Breast | Mammography |
| 18-39 | Baseline if recommended | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor |
Baseline if recommended |
| 40-49 | As recommended | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor | Baseline at 40, then every 1-2 years |
| 50-64 | As recommended | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor | Yearly |
| 65+ | As recommended | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor | Yearly |
| Age | Pap/pelvic | Hearing | Thyroid disease |
| 18-39 | Every 1-3 years starting at 18; every 3 years after 3 normal yearly tests | Baseline at 18, then every 10 years | Baseline at 35, then every 5 years |
| 40-49 | Every 3 years after 3 normal yearly tests | Every 10 years | Every 5 years |
| 50-64 | Every 3 years after 3 normal yearly tests | As recommended | Every 5 years |
| 65+ | Every 3 years after 3 normal yearly tests | As recommended | Every 5 years |
MEN
| Age | Prostate | Testicular |
| 18-39 | N/A | Monthly self-exam starting at 15; yearly exam by doctor |
| 40-49 | Yearly screening at 40 with family history or if African American Yearly | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor |
| 50-64 | Yearly | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor |
| 65+ | Yearly | Monthly self-exam; yearly exam by doctor |