March 30 is an important day in the field of health care—National Doctors' Day. This annual observance serves as a moment to honor the dedication and commitment of physicians in providing health care to patients globally.
This year’s theme emphasizes physician mental health and burnout prevention. This day is not just an opportunity to express gratitude but an opportunity to shift the focus beyond gratitude, encouraging healthcare organizations, medical professionals, and the public to take actionable steps in supporting physician well-being.
History of National Doctors’ Day
In 1933, Eudora Brown Almond, the wife of a family medicine physician, Dr. Charles B. Almond, felt doctors deserved recognition for their difficult and often unacknowledged work.
Almond rallied people in rural Georgia to send greeting cards to their physicians and lay flowers on the graves of late physicians. March 30 was chosen as the day of observance to memorialize the first use of anesthesia during surgery in 1842 by physician Dr. Crawford Long, a well-known doctor from Jefferson, Georgia.
It became a national holiday in 1990 when President George H.W. Bush designated National Doctors’ Day as March 30. Doctors’ contributions are honored nationwide on March 30 and globally by employers, coworkers, and patients.
Some of Almond’s traditions have evolved – from handwritten, personalized cards to social media posts, where more people can express their appreciation for their physicians. Healthcare facilities and physician staffing agencies often demonstrate their appreciation for doctors in digital and print marketing campaigns, gifts, and parties.
Doctors’ dedication has remained steadfast despite the changes in the medical community, including increasing diversity across age, race/ethnicity, and specialty. Many doctors express that the connection they build with their patients is one of the most rewarding parts of their job. We can use National Doctors’ Day to let doctors know we see and support them.
Ways to Celebrate
- HOST a breakfast or luncheon at one of your facility.
- INVITE patients and colleagues to write notes. Place a designated basket or box in a central location for handwritten “Happy Doctor’s Day” notes from staff and patients. Distribute the messages on March 30th for a personal and heartfelt touch.
- CREATE a thank-you video. Shoot a simple video of staff expressing gratitude or sharing stories about working with physicians. Post it to your facility’s social media pages or YouTube channel for public recognition.
- ORGANIZE a wellness day. Provide mini massages, meditation sessions, or relaxation stations. Partner with local yoga studios or fitness trainers to offer free wellness classes for doctors.
- INSTALL a gratitude wall. Create a temporary display where staff and patients can post sticky notes with personal messages for doctors. Let it serve as a public celebration of their impact.
- SHOP official National Doctors’ Day gifts for doctors. Distribute items such as travel mugs, tote bags, journals, or more to your providers.
Additional Resources
- National Doctors' Day: Provides resources to help healthcare organizations and the general public celebrate doctors in meaningful ways.
- The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act offers grants for mental health resources, and the Physician Support Line (888-409-0141) provides free, confidential support from peer physicians.
- American College of Physicians has multiple wellness and burnout tools for physicians, non-physicians, and organizations alike.
- American Psychiatric Association has multiple interventions to address burnout at the individual and organizational level.
- American Academy of Family Physicians have multiple resources for physician well-being through webinars, conferences, courses.
- American Medical Association’s STEPS Forward toolkits offers strategies on how to engage health system leadership, understanding physician burnout and how to address it, as well as developing a culture that supports physician well-being.
- Some suggested reading includes Stop Physician Burnout: What to Do When Working Harder Isn’t Working, Mayo Clinic Strategies to Reduce Burnout: 12 Actions to Create the Ideal Workplace, The Thriving Physician, and more!