Happy World Family Doctor Day!

World Family Doctor Day, held every year on May 19, is a day to highlight the role and contributions of family doctors in health care systems around the world. The comprehensiveness of family medicine makes it the ideal specialty for a career that includes global health.

The first World Family Doctor Day was declared by the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) in 2010. It has gained momentum globally each year, with activities, meetings, and celebrations planned to:

• Bring attention to the contributions of family doctors globally;
• Recognize family doctors;
• Increase the morale of family doctors, and;
• Highlight important issues relating to family doctors and the work they perform in supporting health care for people around the world.

The theme for World Family Doctor Day 2019 is Family doctors – caring for you for the whole of your life. AAFP offers resources for family physicians who are striving for better health in their local communities, as well as across the globe.