Pop-up Pap Test Clinic – Nov. 1, 2024

In response to tremendous demand, the Colposcopy Clinic at St. Joseph’s Hospital will now hold a half-day Pop-up Pap Test Clinic two to three times a year, beginning Nov.1, 2024. No appointment necessary. Women, transmasculine and non-binary people in the London region are invited to this drop-in clinic for easy access to cervical screening. Don’t miss this important cancer prevention opportunity.

Who is eligible:

Anyone with a cervix age 25 and older who has NOT had a pap test in the past three years. This can include women, transmasculine and non-binary people.

St. Joseph’s Colposcopy Clinic will follow up with anyone whose results are abnormal.

What is a pap test

A pap test, also called a pap smear, can catch early changes in cervical cells when they may be easier to treat and when treatment can prevent cervical cancer from developing. Most cervical cancers are found in people who have never been screened or who have been screened less often than recommended by Ontario’s cervical screening guidelines.

A pap test only takes a few minutes. It is an exam used to look for changes in cervical cells that may turn into cancer later. An instrument called a speculum is inserted into the vagina. The speculum holds the walls of the vagina apart so that the doctor or nurse can easily see the cervix. The doctor or nurse will then take samples of the cervical cells using a soft brush and a flat scraping device called a spatula. The sample cells are sent to a lab to be looked at under a microscope. There may be some discomfort or pressure during the procedure, but it is not usually painful.  After a pap smear, the individual can go about their day as usual, without any restrictions.

Learn more about cervical cancer screening.

Read about St. Joseph's first Pop-up Pap Test Clinic.