Happy Doctors’ Day 2021
Every year I wish every physician here a Happy Doctors’ Day! Our lives are returning to normal but COVID-19 did not help the burnout issues we face. It is important, however, to recognize ourselves because most others won’t.
You may think this is a bogus holiday or occasion but it isn’t. While nurses get a week and other groups may get a month, we only get a day. One freaking day! And even then most hospital employers will forget or ignore it (and you). On average, over 50% of hospitals do not recognize this day. This is from surveys on this site for the last 14 years. How easy would it be to send an email or a simple token of appreciation? It’s the simple things in life that keep physicians engaged. But, unfortunately, the administrators (if you are employed) usually forget about us.
For those who don’t know how it started, here goes:
On March 30th, 1933 Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Cha Almond, commemorated the anniversary of the first use of anesthesia back in 1842. From 1933 to 1958, the Women’s Auxiliary of the Southern Medical Association kept the tradition of Doctors’ Day alive by mailing cards to physicians and by placing flowers on the graves of the deceased doctors every March 30th. In 1958 the United States House of Representatives adopted a resolution to commemorate March 30th as Doctors’ Day. In 1991, President George Bush signed a resolution proclaiming March 30th as the first National Doctors’ Day.
I hope you all are reading our blog regularly because there is tremendous upheaval in the medical world. Doctors are continually losing their jobs to midlevels. This needs to change, especially now.
If we don’t stick up for ourselves then who will? Many hospitals disrespect us, and this day, so much so that they will lump you in with NPs and PAs and call it a “provider day”. It is not. THIS IS DOCTORS’ DAY!
If you are not a doctor, don’t hesitate to tell a physician that you appreciate him or her.
If you are a doctor, take a second for some introspection. You directly help people every day. You can brag about this to your friends, your family, and your community (even though you won’t). That is what this day is for. Don’t let your organization forget you, but if they do, then do not forget yourselves!
Happy Doctors’ Day!
