I’ll gladly carve out time for an infrared sauna session, a lymphatic drainage massage, or a weightlifting class, but when it comes to my annual doctors’ appointments? I couldn’t tell you if I’m up to date if my life depended on it (and by the way, sometimes it does). And I’m far from alone. Whether it’s time constraints, fear of bad news, cost concerns (which are only getting worse in 2026), or just a general mistrust in the medical system, nearly a third of people in a 2015 study reported putting off seeking medical care, even individuals dealing with major health issues or experiencing symptoms.
We may not be able to make your healthcare costs cheaper or hold your hand in the doctor’s office, but we want to at least make it easier to keep up with your critical health routine. I polled health professionals across various specialties to find out which doctors’ appointments we should be prioritizing each year. Every expert I spoke to agreed that it varies person-to-person, depending on your family history, personal health, and symptoms. But think of this as a general checklist for what you should be scheduling, knowing that it may need some tweaks based on your unique health goals, concerns, and medical and family history. Work with your primary care provider to personalize your timeline to work for you. One thing to note: This list doesn’t cover specialists like nutritionists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, etc.
Bookmark and reference this checklist throughout the year—or better yet, schedule all your exams as soon as you finish reading this article and treat them like any other non-negotiable event (I’ll be taking my own advice).
Experts Consulted
At The Everygirl, we believe that wellness advice should be grounded in accurate, science-backed information to ensure our readers can make informed decisions about their health and well-being. That’s why we prioritize consulting trusted, credible experts—so every piece of content is both reliable and empowering.
Dr. Stephanie Hack is a board-certified OB/GYN, speaker, and founder of women’s health platform Lady Parts Doctor who helps women take charge of their health and feel confident in their bodies—inside and out. With more than 20 years of clinical expertise and advocacy, she translates complex medical knowledge into clear, empowering guidance that women can actually use.
Dr. Roshini Singh is a direct primary care provider, national board-certified nurse practitioner, and founder of 365 Wellness. She wanted to make health care more accessible, personalized, and affordable utilizing the Direct Primary Care (DPC) model. With 15 years in the medical field, she believes in a combined Eastern and Western medicine approach and understands that each patient is unique.
Clare Taylor is a board-certified dermatology nurse practitioner at Skin Pharm. With 11+ years as a registered nurse background in the ICU and plastic surgery specialties, she approaches her patients with holistic and detail-oriented care and feels a genuine responsibility to lend her gifts of compassion and discernments to anyone in her care.
Every Six Months
Dental checkup
Dr. Stephanie Hack, MD, a board-certified OB/GYN and founder of women’s health platform Lady Parts Doctor, suggested twice-a-year visits to the dentist for cleanings and oral exams. Yes, it’s about preventing cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease, but it’s also about catching early signs of other health issues. Your mouth isn’t just doing it’s own thing; oral hygiene affects way more than just your teeth and mouth, offering clues about what’s happening elsewhere in the body (hint: it’s directly connected to gut health).
Once a Year
Physical exam
Consider this an overall baseline for your health—it’s meant to capture the big picture, from physical markers to mental and emotional well-being. Expect the usual vitals—height, weight, blood pressure, and pulse—before the deeper dive starts. As Dr. Roshini Singh, DPC, a primary care provider and founder of 365 Wellness, explained: “The annual is essential to your health because it gives your primary care physician a chance to thoroughly review your medical history, any changes in family history to understand health risks, order appropriate preventative tests, and perform a comprehensive head-to-toe examination.” Dr. Singh explained that while primary care providers perform this examination, they also have the opportunity to do a review of systems, or asking specific questions about symptoms that provide more insight. “Many times, patients may not know what is important to tell us, and that’s why we ask certain questions.”
Lab work
Blood tests like a complete blood count (CBC), which looks at your red and white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, and a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), which checks in on liver and kidney function and key electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and calcium), are advised annually. If you’re needle-averse like me, the upside is efficiency: the labs can usually be done during your annual physical, so you can stack your tasks, get it all over with in one appointment, and minimize the dread.
Well woman exam
If you have a vagina, a yearly well-woman exam in addition to a physical is a must. This appointment focuses on your reproductive health, which includes a conversation about your health history, a physical exam, and, depending on your age and risk factors, a clinical breast exam and pelvic exam. According to Dr. Hack, the goal is to get ahead of any potential health issues and catch anything related to the reproductive system early. A pap smear may be an add-on if your doctor recommends it yearly due to personal or family history, but others can space it out every 3-5 years (more on that below).
Dermatology skin check
Plan on a head-to-toe skin check with a dermatologist at least once a year (more if you’re at higher risk—more to come on that). Your dermatologist will examine your skin, nails, and scalp, flagging any suspicious moles, lesions, or growths that could be signs of skin cancers. “Annual dermatology visits are important to detect any possible skin cancers early when they are most treatable, to re-educate patients on sun protection and how to maintain healthy, clear skin, and to treat and evaluate skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, melasma, eczema, or psoriasis,” Clare Taylor, a dermatology nurse practitioner at Skin Pharm, conveyed. “Skin is the largest organ in the body and is our number one barrier to the outside world, providing us with the most powerful immunity.”
If you have a history of skin cancer, significant sun damage, a high mole count, or a family history of skin cancer, you may need to check in more than once a year. Your dermatologist can help determine the right cadence based on your personal risk factors.
Eye exam
Even if your vision feels fine, the American Optometric Association (AOA) says adults 18-64 should get an in-person eye and vision exam every year. Optometrist and president of the AOA, Dr. Ronald Benner, told Verywell that the updated recommendation is all about catching eye changes early, improving your sight, and preventing future vision problems. “Eye exams safeguard overall health by enabling the doctor of optometry to detect more than 270 serious health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, and cancers,” Benner shared with Verywell.
Every 3-5 Years
Pap smear
The Mayo Clinic points out that people with vaginas ages 21-65 are generally advised to get a Pap smear every 3-5 years. But if you have certain risk factors, like a diagnosis of cervical cancer or a weakened immune system from an organ transplant, chemotherapy, or long-term corticosteroid use, your doctor might advocate for more frequent Pap smears, regardless of your age. For those 30 and older, there’s another option: combining a Pap smear with an HPV test. This lets you stretch the interval to every five years while still keeping an eye out for the virus that can cause genital warts, abnormal cervical cells, or cervical cancer.
In your 40s add:
Mammogram
Starting at 40, Dr. Hack recommended getting a mammogram every year to screen for breast cancer. Guidelines from 2024 suggest that women at average risk for breast cancer begin mammograms at 40 and continue every two years until age 74. “This x-ray of the breast helps in early detection of breast cancer, even before symptoms develop,” Dr. Hack explained. “It’s a crucial step in breast health, significantly improving the chances of successful treatment if cancer is found.” That said, if you have a personal history of breast cancer, a strong family history of breast cancer, or a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer (such as a BRCA gene), your doctor may suggest starting earlier, or screening more often, because your risk is higher.
Colorectal cancer screening
Beginning at age 45, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for colorectal cancer—it’s key to finding it early or preventing it altogether. Colorectal cancer screening methods include stool tests, colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or a CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy). Which test you get, how often, and how early you start can depend on your personal risk—factors like a personal or family history of colorectal cancer, colorectal polyps, or inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.
As Needed
STI screening
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends routine STI (sexually transmitted infections) screenings for sexually active individuals,” Dr. Hack said. The specific tests you need and their frequency can vary based on individual risk factors, including age, sexual behavior, and other health conditions. “For example, yearly gonorrhea and chlamydia screening is recommended for sexually active women under 25 years of age and women 25 years and older women with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners or a sex partner who has an STD.”
The tricky part? Many STDs (used interchangeably with STIs) don’t manifest symptoms, so testing is the only way to know for sure if you have one. “Some curable STDs can be dangerous if they aren’t treated,” their website states. “For example, if left untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhea can make it difficult—or even impossible—for a woman to get pregnant later in life. The chances of getting HIV if you have an untreated STD also increases.”
Please consult a doctor or a mental health professional before beginning or stopping any treatments, supplements, or medications. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.
Katherine Chang, Wellness Staff Writer
Katherine Chang is The Everygirl’s Wellness Staff Writer with over five years of experience in the health and wellness space. She navigates the latest wellness topics and trends through expert interviews and studies, and she’s always first in line to try them firsthand.
