When is National Doctors Day?
National Doctors Day is March 30th.
What is National Doctors Day?
From broken arms to kidney transplants, our doctors fix us when we’re broken. They get us back on our feet when life, sometimes quite literally, knocks us down. National Doctors Day celebrates the nation’s healers for their dedication to our well-being.
Few of us can imagine a life without modern medicine. On National Doctors Day, we show our appreciation for the women and men who keep us healthy. People celebrate by sending cards and red carnations to doctors and their spouses.
The first time a doctor used anesthesia in surgery was March 30, 1842. Dr. Crawford Long used ether to anesthetize a patient and remove a tumor from his neck. Eudora Brown Almond, a doctor’s wife, suggested that date for the first National Doctors Day in 1933.
Fun facts about National Doctors Day!
- The red carnation used on National Doctors Day represents sacrifice, charity, courage, and love.
- It usually takes 11 years to become a doctor. The average medical student debt was $170,000 in 2012.
- The U.S. has almost 700,000 doctors.
- A study done in Spain suggests that surgeons tend to be taller and better looking than physicians.
- President Bush signed National Doctors Day into law in 1990.
How to celebrate National Doctors Day:
- Show your doctors your gratitude by sending cards and red carnations.
- If you work in a hospital or medical office, throw a luncheon for your doctors. Present them with some token of appreciation.
What’s the hashtag for National Doctors Day?
Thank the nation’s doctors on social media by using #NationalDoctorsDay.