Educational information only — not medical advice. Clinic Compass is not a doctor and does not provide diagnosis or treatment. Always confirm with a licensed clinician. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.
Blog
Learn how to advocate for your own health
Short, practical articles on the tests worth asking for, how to prepare for a walk-in visit, and what preventive care actually catches. New posts every two weeks.
- ·5 min read
Pap smears, HPV testing, and the shift in cervical screening
How cervical screening changed in the last decade, and what your options are now.
ScreeningsCancer - ·5 min read
Your first mammogram: what actually happens, and how to prepare
A plain-language walkthrough of screening mammograms — timing, comfort, results, and when to add ultrasound or MRI.
ScreeningsCancer - ·6 min read
Colonoscopy vs. FIT test: which colon screening is right for you?
There's more than one way to screen for colon cancer. Here's how the options compare and how to choose.
ScreeningsCancer - ·5 min read
Iron and ferritin: the fatigue test people forget to ask for
Low iron shows up as tiredness, hair loss, and poor exercise tolerance long before it becomes anemia.
BloodworkSymptoms - ·4 min read
Vitamin D: worth testing, easy to fix
Deficiency is common in northern climates and rarely causes obvious symptoms — but affects bone, immune, and mood health.
BloodworkPrevention - ·5 min read
Tired, cold, or gaining weight? When to ask for a thyroid test
Thyroid problems are common, easy to test for, and often missed. Here's what to notice and how to ask.
BloodworkSymptoms - ·5 min read
HbA1c: the test that catches diabetes before you know you have it
A single blood draw shows your average blood sugar over three months. Here's how to read the result and what to do next.
BloodworkDiabetes - ·6 min read
Cholesterol numbers, decoded: LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and ApoB
Your lipid panel has five numbers that actually matter. Here's what each one tells you about your heart-attack risk.
BloodworkHeart health - ·5 min read
How to measure your blood pressure at home (and why you should)
One reading at the clinic isn't enough. Here's how to build a real picture of your blood pressure with a $40 cuff.
Heart healthHome monitoring - ·7 min read
The screenings that matter in your 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s
A decade-by-decade look at the tests that catch the biggest killers early — colonoscopy, mammogram, AAA ultrasound, and more.
ScreeningsBy age - ·5 min read
Why routine bloodwork matters — even when you feel fine
Most of the conditions that shorten adult lives are silent for years. Bloodwork is how you catch them early.
BloodworkPrevention - ·6 min read
Walk-in clinic without a family doctor: a beginner's checklist
You don't need a GP to stay on top of preventive care — but you do need to walk in prepared. Here's how to start.
Getting startedWalk-in clinics
What's next in the library
- PSA testing: the prostate screening no one agrees onThe PSA test is controversial for good reasons. Here's how to have an informed conversation about it.
- Low-dose lung CT: the screening every long-term smoker should ask aboutAnnual low-dose CT catches lung cancer years earlier than a chest X-ray. Here's who qualifies.
- The one-time ultrasound that could save your life: AAA screeningAn abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound takes 15 minutes and only needs to be done once. Most eligible men never get it.