Get a yearly checkup
See your primary care provider for preventive care, the screenings and vaccines you are due for, and questions about your health.
- How often
- Yearly
- Time
- About an hour
- Recommended for
- 12 factors
How to do it
- Use MyHealthfinder to see which screenings and vaccines are recommended for your age and sex, and bring that list.
- Write down all your medicines, vitamins and supplements, and bring the list.
- Review your family medical history before you go.
- Write down your questions, including about sleep, alcohol, stress, and the physical demands of your work.
- Ask what you should come back for, and when.
Why it helps
A checkup is different from a sick visit. It is a chance to catch problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes or some cancers early, when they are easier to treat, and to stay current on vaccines. The screenings you need depend on your age, sex, health and family history.
Be careful
Don't wait for your yearly visit if you have new or worrying symptoms. Call your doctor, and call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing or signs of a stroke.
Recommended for
Caregiving for an adult
Helping a parent, partner or relative with daily life, often nonstop.
habitDrinking alcohol
Social, relaxing, and harder on your body than it feels at the time.
occupationFirefighter
Extreme heat, heavy gear, smoke, sleepless shifts and traumatic calls.
habitKeto or low-carb diet
Cutting bread, rice, sugar and often fruit to burn fat instead.
habitLiving alone
Your own space and schedule, and nobody else around by default.
habitNight shift work
Awake when your body expects to sleep, asleep when the world is loud.
occupationPhysician
Long, high-stakes days with little time to eat, move or sleep.
habitPlant-based diet
Vegan or vegetarian eating, built on beans, grains, nuts and produce.
occupationPolice officer
Long shifts in a patrol car, heavy gear and moments of high stress.
habitSmoking and vaping
Nicotine, smoke and aerosol, many times a day, for years.
occupationStay-at-home parent
Lifting, carrying and caring around the clock, with little time for yourself.
occupationTruck driver
Long hours behind the wheel, irregular sleep and food from truck stops.