Thank Your Doctor on Doctor’s Day

Thank your doctor on Doctor’s Day

March 30 is traditionally celebrated as Doctors’ Day, an annual observance to appreciate physicians who help save lives in communities all over the country. The holiday first started in 1933 to mark the first anniversary of a doctor, Dr. Crawford W. Long, using ether for anesthesia.

Eudora Brown Almond, the wife of a doctor in Winder, Georgia, believed her husband and other physicians deserved more recognition for their hard work. The first observed Doctors’ Day occurred on March 30, 1933, exactly 91 years after Dr. Long’s discovery.

Mrs. Almond mailed greeting cards to all local physicians and their wives, and put flowers on the graves of deceased doctors, including Dr. Long. The flowers were red carnations, which would later become the representative flower for Doctor’s Day. The red carnation is still popularly used to say “thank you” to doctors for their work in medicine.

Doctors’ Day was unofficially celebrated for many years before it became a legal holiday. On March 30, 1958, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution that commemorates Doctors’ Day and on October 30, 1990, George W. Bush signed the legislature after approval from both the House and the Senate.

Some fun facts about doctors

700,000 – the estimated number of doctors in the U.S.

2003 – the year when Hallmark started printing cards for Doctors’ Day.

21% – the percentage of doctors whose spouse is also a doctor.

60 hours – the estimated number of hours worked per week by a doctor.

Say thank you to your doctor

You can say thank you to your doctor by scheduling a check-up. Regular visits to your doctor can help find problems before they start and help you have a better chance of treatment and cure. Instead of avoiding your doctor and healthcare provider, take initiative in scheduling regular visits to ensure you're on the right track to better health.

While doctors love to diagnose and help alleviate your problems, they also want you to stay healthy too. Continue practicing daily healthy routines—hydrate, exercise, fuel up on balanced meals, and get enough sleep. Your doctor (and your health) will be sure to thank you!