National Doctors' Day

National Doctors' Day is a day celebrated to recognize the contributions of physicians to individual lives and communities. The date may vary from nation to nation depending on the event of commemoration used to mark the day. In some nations the day is marked as a holiday. Although supposed to be celebrated by patients in and benefactors of the healthcare industry, it is usually celebrated by health care organizations. Staff may organize a lunch for doctors to present the physicians with tokens of recognition. Historically, a card or red carnation may be sent to physicians and their spouses, along with a flower being placed on the graves of deceased physicians.

National Doctors' Day
National Doctors' Day
Observed byVarious countries
SignificanceTo recognize the contributions of physicians to individual lives and communities.
DateVaries with the country
FrequencyAnnual

Celebrating nations

Australia

In Australia, there are various dates on which National Doctor’s Day may be recognized, the most participated being the 30th of March.[1][2][3] Tradition the apostle and Evangelist Saint Luke was a doctor, as it is written in the New Testament (Colossians 4:14). Taylor Caldwell's novel "Dear and Glorious Physician: A Novel about Saint Luke" is a historic romance that describes Saint Luke both as a physician and an apostle.

Kuwait

In Kuwait, National Doctor’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd of March. The idea of this celebration came for the Kuwaiti business woman; Zahra Sulaiman Al-Moussawi. And the date was chosen due to it being the birthday of Dr. Sundus Al-Mazidi, her daughter.[4]

Brazil

In Brazil, National Doctors' Day is celebrated as a holiday on October 18, the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates the birthday of Saint Luke. According to the Church Tradition the apostle and Evangelist Saint Luke was a doctor, as it is written in the New Testament (Colossians 4:14). Taylor Caldwell's novel "Dear and Glorious Physician: A Novel about Saint Luke" is a historic romance that describes Saint Luke both as a physician and an apostle.[5]

Canada

National Physicians' Day is celebrated in Canada on May 1. The date was chosen by the Canadian Medical Association in recognition of Dr. Emily Stowe, the first female physician to practice in Canada.[6] Senate Public Bill S-248 will officially recognise the day, if enacted.[7]

Cuba

In Cuba, National Doctors' Day is celebrated as a holiday on December 3 to commemorate the birthday of Carlos Juan Finlay. Carlos J. Finlay (December 3, 1833 – August 6, 1915) was a Cuban physician and scientist recognized as a pioneer in yellow fever research.[8] He was the first to theorize, in 1881, that a mosquito was a carrier, now known as a disease vector, of the organism causing yellow fever: a mosquito that bites a victim of the disease could subsequently bite and thereby infect a healthy person. A year later Finlay identified a mosquito of the genus Aedes as the organism transmitting yellow fever. His theory was followed by the recommendation to control the mosquito population as a way to control the spread of the sickness. [9]

India

In India, the National Doctors' 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.[10] He was born on July 1, 1882 and died on the same date in 1962, aged 80 years.

Indonesia

Hari Dokter Nasional or National Doctor's Day is celebrated in Indonesia on 24 October each year. The day also marked with the birthday celebration of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI).[11]

Iran

In Iran, Avicenna's birthday (Iranian Month:Shahrivar 1st=August 23) is commemorated as the national day for doctors.[12][13]

Malaysia

In Malaysia, Doctors Day is celebrated on the 10th of October every year. It was first launched by the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations, Malaysia in 2014.[14]

Turkey

In Turkey, it is celebrated as Medicine Day on the 14th of March every year since 1919.[15]

United States

In the United States, National Doctors' Day is a day on which the service of physicians to the nation is recognized annually. The idea came from Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, and the date chosen was the anniversary of the first use of general anesthesia in surgery. On March 30, 1842,[16] in Jefferson, Georgia, Dr. Crawford Long used ether to anesthetize a patient, James Venable, and painlessly excised a tumor from his neck.[17]

Vietnam

Vietnam founded Doctor's Day on February 28, 1955. The day is celebrated on February 27 or sometimes dates closest to this date.[18]

Nepal

Nepal also celebrates Nepali National Doctor Day on Nepali date Falgun 20 (4 March). Since the establishment of Nepal Medical Association, Nepal has organized this day every year. The doctor-patient communication, clinical treatment, and community-based health promotion and care is discussed.[19]

History

The first Doctors’ Day observance was March 28, 1933, in Winder, Georgia. This first observance included the mailing of cards to the physicians and their wives, flowers placed on graves of deceased doctors, including Dr. Long, and a formal dinner in the home of Dr. and Mrs. William T. Randolph. After the Barrow County Alliance adopted Mrs. Almond's resolution to pay tribute to the doctors, the plan was presented to the Georgia State Medical Alliance in 1933 by Mrs. E. R. Harris of Winder, president of the Barrow County Alliance.[20] On May 10, 1934, the resolution was adopted at the annual state meeting in Augusta, Georgia. The resolution was introduced to the Women's Alliance of the Southern Medical Association at its 29th annual meeting held in St. Louis, Missouri, November 19–22, 1935, by the Alliance president, Mrs. J. Bonar White. Since then, Doctors' Day has become an integral part of and synonymous with, the Southern Medical Association Alliance.

The United States Senate and House of Representatives passed S.J. RES. #366 during the 101st United States Congress, which President Bush signed on October 30, 1990 (creating Public Law 101-473), designating Doctors' Day as a national holiday to be celebrated on March 30.[21][22]

Dr. Marion Mass along with Dr. Kimberly Jackson and Dr. Christina Lang applied to officially have physicians day changed to physicians week. This was accepted in March 2017.

In 2017 Physicians Working Together (PWT, founded by Dr. Kimberly Jackson) sponsored a series of articles in celebration of National Physicians week that were hosted on KevinMD. In 2018 PWT along with Openxmed sponsored a free online conference focusing on physician well being and advocacy. In 2019, PWT and Openxmed sponsored a scholarship program for medical students and residents. The week long event focuses on advocacy and supporting the physician community.

References
  1. Metro South Hospital and Health Service, The State of Queensland (2018-03-14). "Doctors' Day honours valuable contributions". metrosouth.health.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  2. "Happy Doctors Day". Healthcare Australia. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  3. "Doctors' Day". Days Of The Year. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  4. "National Doctor's Day 2020: Health workers combating stress, sleep disorders and COVID-19 together, says casualty ward doctor - Health News , Firstpost". Firstpost. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  5. "National Doctors' Day 2020: Why India Celebrates Doctors on July 1 and the Theme for This Year". News18. 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  6. "Recognizing the work of the medical profession: CMA to celebrate National Physicians' Day on May 1". Canadian Medical Association. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  7. "LEGISinfo - Senate Public Bill S-248 (42-1)". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  8. "The United States Army Yellow Fever Commission Headed by Walter Reed – U.S. Army Yellow Fever Commission". U.S. Army Yellow Fever Commission. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  9. "National Doctor's Day 2020: Theme, History and Objectives". Jagranjosh.com. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  10. "National Doctors' Day: Here's what you should know about Dr BC Roy". Firstpost. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  11. "Anies Baswedan on National Doctor's Day: Thanks for Sincere Dedication of Doctors in Indonesia". Netral News. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  12. "Iran commemorates Natˈl Doctors Day on Avicenna's birth anniv". Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  13. "Iran marks National Doctors Day to commemorate Avicenna". Mehr News Agency (MNA). 23 August 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  14. "FPMPAM inaugural Doctors Day".
  15. "March 30, 2020 - NATIONAL DOCTORS DAY – NATIONAL VIRTUAL VACATION DAY – NATIONAL PENCIL DAY – NATIONAL I AM IN CONTROL DAY – NATIONAL TAKE A WALK IN THE PARK DAY – NATIONAL TURKEY NECK SOUP DAY". National Day Calendar. 2020-03-30. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  16. "DOCTORS' DAY - March 30, 2020". National Today. 2020-03-30. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  17. Long, C. W. (December 1991). "An Account of the First Use of Sulphuric Ether by Inhalation as an Anæsthetic in Surgical Operations". Survey of Anesthesiology. 35 (6): 375. doi:10.1097/00132586-199112000-00049.
  18. http://news.duytan.edu.vn/NewsDetail.aspx?id=2041&pid=2039&lang=en-US DTU Celebrates the 57th Anniversary of Vietnam Doctors’ Day
  19. "National Doctors' Day - Southern Medical Association". Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  20. "History of Doctors' Day". Hallmark Ideas & Inspiration. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  21. DoctorsDay.org retrieved 1 July 2014
  22. "S.J.Res.366 – A joint resolution to designate March 30, 1991, as "National Doctors Day"". 1990-10-30.
Sources
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