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6 questions to always ask your doctor

Get the answers you need to take control of your health.

Jan, 2026
LearnHealth screenings6 questions to always ask your doctor
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Your healthcare provider (HCP) is a wealth of knowledge, brimming with information to share with you. But it can be tough to cover every aspect of your health in a single office visit. That’s why coming prepared with a list of questions is invaluable.

"Your doctor is very interested in making sure you reach your optimum health," says Joe Llenos, MD, a doctor of family medicine in Homer, Alaska. He pinpoints six questions everyone should ask during their next checkup.

Written byTaylor Lupo.
Medically reviewed byAnn Wendling, MD, MPH.October, 2023
Sources: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Disease Prevention. Accessed October 4 + 18
  1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Disease Prevention. Accessed October 4, 2024.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Disease. Accessed October 4, 2024.
  3. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity. Reviewed May 2023.
  4. MedlinePlus. Stress. Updated October 20, 2023.
  5. Mayo Clinic. Chronic stress puts your health at risk. August 1, 2023.
  6. MedlinePlus. Learn to manage stress. Reviewed November 6, 2022.
  7. American Psychological Association. Manage stress: Strengthen your support network. October 21, 2022.
  8. MedlinePlus. Healthy Sleep. Updated May 5, 2017.
  9. National Sleep Foundation. How Much Sleep Do You Really Need? October 1, 2020.
  10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Equity. Accessed October 3, 2024.
  11. MedlinePlus. Health Screening. July 1, 2020.
  12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccines & Immunizations: Vaccines by Age. August 14, 2024.
  13. Mayo Clinic. Shingles. August 20, 2022.
  14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): RSV Vaccines. August 18, 2025.
  15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccines & Immunizations: Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know. Reviewed January 26, 2021.
  16. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumococcal Vaccine Timing for Adults. September 12, 2024.
  17. MedlinePlus. Financial Assistance. Updated August 29, 2019.
  18. FamilyDoctor.org (AAFP). Health Insurance: Understanding What It Covers. May 2023.
  19. Duke Health. Should You Get an Annual Physical? September 9, 2019.

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