It’s true, most people in their 20s are pretty healthy.

They haven’t encountered age-related tweaks or other fun health challenges of getting older.

But adults in their 20s would benefit from an ongoing relationship with a primary care doctor—even if they’re super healthy.

1. Your primary care physician sees you over time and will notice changes in your health. This is important for prevention, as the earlier health concerns are noticed and acted upon, the better. Annual wellness exams and routine screenings will keep your health on track. What does your 23andMe report mean for your health? A primary care doctor can discuss those results, tell you what really matters and help you prepare for the future.
2. A doctor who is familiar with you makes for better treatment when you really ARE sick. Waiting until you’re ill, then heading to a convenient care clinic or the emergency room means you’re walking into an office where nobody knows anything about you, your allergies, your health history, your medications or your personality. Seeing your own doctor, who knows your baseline health level and has all your medical records, can also help eliminate unnecessary testing and bad drug interactions.
3. Because Googling your symptoms won’t give you great medical advice. The familiar relationship you have with a primary care doctor makes it easier to talk about personal health concerns you may have (as opposed to a stranger in a busy clinic). You can also bring up non-emergency questions during your appointment (Do I need to take vitamins? Is this supplement safe? Does this diet work? How do I avoid sexually transmitted diseases?) and get solid advice to help keep you healthy.
4. Your doctor can create a personalized health plan for you. Taking your health history (and your family’s health history), fitness level, allergies, medications and any other factors into account, your doctor can provide a plan to maximize your health and keep you out of the doctor’s office (except for that annual check-in).

Choosing a primary care physician can be overwhelming. Begin your search with Edward-Elmhurst Health’s Find-A-Doctor database. There you can search for a physician by specialty (internal medicine or family medicine, both are primary care doctors), location, gender and language.

Many of our physicians have full profiles on our website that include reviews from patients and videos of the doctors. There is also an option to schedule your appointment online.
If you want real convenience, sign up for MyChart and download the app. That way you can schedule an appointment, send a message to your provider, see your past appointments, medications and test results—all through the app.

Don’t take your health for granted! Keep that healthy, youthful feeling as long as possible with regular check-ups with your primary care doctor.

Dr. Doshi is an internal medicine physician with Edward Medical Group and is accepting new patients in Naperville! View his profile and schedule an appointment online.

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