Doctors are hands down the most selfless beings out there! They reel under relentless pressure, work for inhumane hours, experience severe sleep deprivation, burnouts, and anxiety, but despite all of these problems— when their profession requires them to show up— they are there for their patient(s).
TV shows like House, Grey’s Anatomy and Good Doctor only capture the half of what the life of an actual doctor is like. They are the heroes without a capes, armor and a prominent underwear (if you know what we mean). They are the angels in white coats, who save millions of lives every second.
And, since the pandemic has begun, these heroes have been risking their own lives and fighting against the unseen enemy! But do you know long it took before doctors were appreciated and taken into good regard? There was a time when they were punished, out casted, and even murdered because of their unconventional beliefs and theories.
As we celebrate them this International Doctor’s Day, it is important to note the history of this day and how it came into existence.
The first ever Doctor’s day was celebrated on March 30th, 1933 in Winder, Georgia. It was Eudora Brown Almond, the wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, who first came up with the idea of dedicating a day to all the physicians. And the date selected for this celebration is actually the day when general anesthesia was first used in surgery.
Dr. Crawford Long used anesthesia to doze off a patient named James Venable; he successfully managed to operate on him to eliminate a tumor on his neck without him feeling any pain. It was a major yet controversial milestone in the medicine industry.
The Doctor’s community has a dispute on who is the inventor of anesthesia; some believe it was Dr. Crawford, while others say that Dr. Long was the one who pioneered surgical anesthesia through inhalation of ether – a method that is still used in today’s age.
The first International Doctors’ Day ceremony involved sending greetings and appreciation cards to doctors and placing flowers on the graves of doctors who died in line of duty, including Dr. Long. In addition to this, Dr. and Mrs. William I. Randolph held a formal dinner at their place to honor medical professionals.
On March 30th, 1958, The United States of Representatives adopted a resolution to commemorate Doctor’s day. After almost 2 decades in 1990, a legislation was introduced in the House of Senate to make this day athe National Doctors’ Day.
After approval by the House of Representatives and the United Sates Senate, President George agreed to sign S.J. RES. #366, identifying 30th March as National Doctor’s Day.
Since then, Doctors’ Day has become a significant part of the Southern Medical Association Alliance and has been celebrated every year across the country.
Some Facts about Doctors:
On this National Doctor’s Day, let’s discuss some shocking facts about the life of medical professionals of the United States.
The U.S has over 700,000 doctors, and that number is expected to grow ever year.
It takes more than 11 years to become a doctor. An aspirant requires a bachelor’s degree in medicine, followed by four years of medical school and 3-8 years of residency, depending on the specialty the physician chooses to pursue.
In 2019, the United States of America spent 3.8 trillion dollars— which equates to $11,582 per person— on health care. That’s a 4.6% increase from the previous year.
The past two years have been incredibly difficult for the doctors, as they have been racing against time to treat Covid-19 infected patients. More than 3000 health care workers have died during the pandemic; they have been there for the patients when even their loved ones weren’t able to be with them because of the risk of virus contraction.
They acted like a friend, savior, and companion to all those who have been fighting against the virus in quarantine-wards. Today, we observe National Doctor’s Day by honoring all of our white-coat heroes for their unprecedented passion, bravery, and their dedication to their patients’ safety.
take some time to extend your support and appreciation to the doctors for doing what they do.
Celebrate National Doctor’s Day 2021 by acknowledging the history of National Doctor’s Day Almond and take some time to extend your support and appreciation to the doctors for doing what they do.
Happy National Doctors’ Day!
Privacy Policy. By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies.
