If you want to prevent illness, it’s important to get the right screenings at the right time—but when is the right time. We cull through the recommendations, decade by decade.

In your 20s: Physical exams

In your 20s, you might feel young and invincible, but regular checkups should be on your to-do list anyway. These visits help your doctor construct a baseline picture of your general health.

“Everybody needs regular assessments for high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular risk, tobacco use, alcohol, drugs, diet, exercise level, vaccinations, presence of depression, HIV, and other risk factors,” says William A. Curry, MD, professor of general internal medicine at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham. Most of these assessments can be tackled during a physical with your primary care physician. If you don’t yet have a primary care physician, here are 7 secrets to finding a doctor you can trust.

In your 20s: Gynecologic Exams

Women in their 20s should begin pelvic exams, clinical breast exams, and screenings for cervical cancer. Experts also recommend Pap smears, but how often you need one will depend on your personal health history.

“From 21 to 29, a Pap smear is recommended every three years if tests are normal,” says Salena Zanotti, MD, an OB/GYN specialist with the Cleveland Clinic. “From ages 30 to 65, they’re only needed every five years with a human papillomavirus (HPV) co-test if you have no history of abnormal Pap smears.” These are 8 signs of cervical cancer you should never ignore.

In your 20s: STD screenings

In your 20s or earlier—as soon as you become sexually active—you should start getting regular checkups for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a volunteer panel of doctors and nationally-recognized experts that issues guidelines for tests and screenings for Americans. If you change sexual partners before your next annual physical or if you change partners frequently, you should have an STD screening more often. A primary care physician can give you this test, as can gynecologists. STDs are at a record high: Here’s why you might be at risk.