School of Medicine thanks its physicians on National Doctors' Day

Posted Mar 30, 2009

Today, March 30, is recognized as National Doctors' Day in the United States. The OHSU School of Medicine honors the contribution of physicians to the education, clinical, research and outreach missions of the university, and thanks all physicians for their dedication - every day - to their patients and their students.

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 30th as "National Doctors Day."