Contents |
The first Doctors Day observance was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia. Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, decided to set aside a day to honor physicians. This first observance included the mailing greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of deceased doctors. The red carnation is commonly used as the symbolic flower for National Doctors Day.
On March 30, 1958, a Resolution Commemorating Doctors Day was adopted by the United States House of Representatives. In 1990, legislation was introduced in the House and Senate to establish a national Doctors Day. Following overwhelming approval by the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, on October 30, 1990, President George Bush signed S.J. RES. #366 (which became Public Law 101-473) designating March 30, 1991 as "National Doctors Day."
Doctors Day marks the date that Crawford W. Long, M.D., of Jefferson, GA, administered the first ether anesthetic for surgery on March 30, 1842. On that day, Dr. Long administered ether anesthesia to a patient and then operated to remove a tumor from the man’s neck. Later, the patient would swear that he felt nothing during the surgery and wasn’t aware the surgery was over until he awoke.
In Iran, Avicenna's birthday(Iranain Month:Shahrivar 1st=August 23rd) is commemorated as the national doctor's day.
The Doctor's Day is celebrated on July 1 all across India to honour the legendary physician and the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. He was born on July 1, 1882 and died on the same date in 1962, aged 80 years. Dr Roy was honoured with the country's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna on February 4, 1961.
The Doctor's Day is celebrated on March 14 as a tribute of the opening of the first modern medical school in Turkey. It is celebrated by all health care professionals for their contribution for medicine and science.
National Doctor's Day is commonly celebrated in healthcare organizations as a day to recognize the contributions of doctors to individual lives and communities. These events are typically organized by staff at a healthcare organization. Staff may organize a lunch for doctor's present the doctor with a gift, or coordinate a team lunch.
The most common recognition on National Doctor’s Day is a handwritten note or greeting card signed by the doctor’s staff. Community members also get involved in the celebration by writing a letter to the local newspaper in honor of a doctor or sending a greeting card directly to a doctor.