National Doctor’s Day is celebrated every year on March 30th. We usually have a special luncheon for our physicians on Doctor's Day (or on the Friday before, if Doctor's Day falls on the weekend, as it does this year). It's not the most convenient time of year for a celebration, as this week usually falls in the middle of Spring Break for a lot of our physicians. Regardless, it's important to celebrate our physicians and everything that they do for our organization.
The first Doctor’s Day was observed more than 90 years ago, on March 30, 1933 by the Alliance to the Barrow County Medical Society in Winder, Georgia (a small town located just east of Atlanta). Members of the Alliance selected the date to honor all physicians on the anniversary of Dr. Crawford W. Long’s first administration of anesthesia in 1842. Of note, Dr. Long used ether during surgery to remove a tumor from the neck of James Venable. The first Doctor’s Day was observed by sending cards to all the physicians and their spouses, and a red carnation flower was placed on the graves of deceased doctors.
Through a series of resolutions in the years that followed, Doctor’s Day was widely celebrated throughout the southern United States, with sponsorship by the Southern Medical Association. Eventually, a resolution was adopted and approved by both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on October 30, 1990 and signed by President George H.W. Bush, designating March 30 as “National Doctor’s Day." The red carnation remains as the symbol of Doctor’s Day.
I have never been more proud to be a member of this great profession. We've all had a difficult past few years with everything that has been going on in our world. Regardless, physicians have been at the forefront leading societal change during one of the most difficult periods in our nation's history. Importantly, our influence is due in large measure to the trust and respect that society has for our profession.
It's important that we continue to earn that trust and respect from other members and professions in society. There have been a number of studies and articles on the so-called "disruptive physician" in the past few years. Ultimately, health care organizations promote the behavior that they tolerate, and I am proud to say that in my experience, "disruptive physicians" are incredibly rare.
There have also been a number of studies and articles on the increase in physician burnout in the past few years. Certainly, the trend in burnout has only further increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care organizations should continue to focus on addressing the system and local factors that contribute to burnout. Unfortunately, I do think that some of the issues that we face as a society are also contributing to burnout in all professions, including the medical profession. We need more partnership with organizations outside of medicine to help us address these issues which are so important to our workforce.
I can honestly say that if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would still choose medicine as my life's work. Medicine has been my passion and my calling. Being a physician has made me a better person, and I am incredibly proud to be a member of this esteemed profession.
To all Doctor's - thank you for what you do, each and every day!
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