Annual Check-Ups

Students of medicine are taught that you see only what you look for.

Watch this video to illustrate my point.

Did you see the gorilla?

When you visit your doctor, he will pay selective attention to the medical concern that you raise. In other words, he is keeping his eye firmly focused on the ball. So, how does he make sure that he doesn’t miss a gorilla?

In order to see the big picture, your doctor needs to see you at your healthy baseline. This is where the yearly physical comes in. An annual ‘complete physical’ allows your doctor to review your history, recalibrate your risks, and draft a personalized care plan.

I believe that a yearly ‘check-up’ is essential to set the scene for disease prevention and health promotion. In order to interpret a fluid foreground of disease problems, we need to fully understand the relevant health background.

See you at your next physical!