Questions to Ask a Doctor
For patients, and for anyone going along with one, who want to leave an appointment knowing what was said. What questions you should ask your doctor depends on why you are there, so the list is grouped by situation: a check-up, hearing a diagnosis, being sent for a test, starting a medication, weighing a treatment or procedure, and the last minutes before you leave. The check-up group also holds the questions to ask a new doctor at a first visit, from how they like to make decisions to who covers when the office is closed. Nobody asks them all, so pick the few that fit this visit. Each has a short note on what to do with the answer, and none of it is medical advice.
The questions
Each question, and why to ask it
A check-up or new doctor
What check-ups and screenings should someone like me be having, and how often?
Why ask it
A useful answer mentions your age, your history and your family's, so if it sounds like a standard list, ask which items are on it because of you. Find out which are due now and book those before you go.
Are my blood pressure, weight and blood test results where they should be?
Why ask it
Get the actual numbers, not just 'fine', and write them down with the date. The useful follow-up is which one the doctor would most like to see move, and how it compares with your last reading if they have it.
Does anything in my family history change what you would watch for in me?
Why ask it
Come with what you know: which relative, which condition, and roughly how old they were when it started. Gaps are normal, so say what you don't know as well. The answer may be an earlier screening, or that it changes nothing for you.
Am I up to date on my vaccinations?
Why ask it
Recommendations differ by country, age, job and health, and the office may hold no record of what you were given elsewhere. Bring whatever record you have, and ask which ones are due now and which can wait for a later visit.
What one change to how I eat, move or sleep would do the most for my health?
Why ask it
Asking for one keeps you from leaving with a list of ten and starting none of them. Describe an ordinary week honestly first, then ask how the two of you would tell in a few months whether the change had done anything.
Is this normal for my age, or is it worth looking into?
Why ask it
Describe the change itself: what is different, since when, and how often it happens. 'Normal for your age' is a real answer, and you can still ask what would turn it into something worth checking.
Can I talk to you about my mood, stress or sleep, or is that a different appointment?
Why ask it
It is easy to assume a regular doctor only wants to hear about the body and to leave this out. Say how long it has been going on and what it is getting in the way of. If this doctor is not the one to help, ask who is and how you reach them.
Should I be taking any vitamins or supplements?
Why ask it
List what you already take and why you started each one. Ask what a supplement would be for in your case and whether a blood test would show a need for it, and be ready to hear that you need nothing extra.
What would you like to know about me that is not in my records?
Why ask it
Records list diagnoses and dates. They leave out the job that keeps you on your feet all day, the parent you look after and the thing you are quietly afraid of, so pick the two or three facts that would change how a doctor treats you and say them at the first visit.
Here is what my last doctor and I were working on. What would you keep the same, and what would you look at again?
Why ask it
A doctor who inherits a plan should tell you whether they agree with it. If they want to change something, ask what they see that the last doctor did not, and write the reason down.
What is your background, and how long have you been in practice?
Why ask it
Keep it conversational: where they trained, what kind of patients they see most, whether they have a particular interest. How doctors are licensed or certified depends on the country, and many places keep a public register you can check before the visit.
How often do you see patients with the condition I have?
Why ask it
A fair question, not a rude one. 'Rarely' is a perfectly good answer as long as it comes with who they would bring in, and at what point.
How do you like to make decisions with patients: do you set out the options, or tell me what you would do?
Why ask it
Neither style is wrong, but one of them will suit you better. Say which you prefer, and notice over the next few visits whether the doctor adjusts or carries on as before.
Do you take my insurance, and what will a visit cost me?
Why ask it
The front desk usually knows this better than the doctor, so ask when you book and read out the exact plan name on your card. Where care is publicly funded, the question becomes what is covered and what is not. Either way, find out before the first visit, not from the bill.
What are your office hours, and how far ahead do routine visits book up?
Why ask it
A practice that looks right on paper is not much use if it is only open while you are at work. If routine visits fill up weeks out, book the next one on your way out and ask whether there is a cancellation list.
Between visits, who do I contact with a question, and how?
Why ask it
Find out whether it is a phone line, a patient portal or a nurse who calls back, and how long a reply usually takes. Save the number in your phone before you leave, since the moment you need it is rarely a moment you can look it up.
What should I do if I get sick and you have no appointments that day?
Why ask it
Some offices hold same-day slots, and others send you to a partner clinic or a nurse line. Knowing the route in advance saves you from working it out while you feel terrible.
Who covers for you when you are away or the office is closed?
Why ask it
You want a name or a number, not 'someone will be on call'. Check too whether the person covering can open your records or will be meeting you cold.
How long is a usual appointment here, and what should I do when I have more than one thing to raise?
Why ask it
The length is often fixed when the visit is booked, so the answer may be to ask the front desk for a longer slot when you call. Whether the doctor wants your whole list handed over at the start or one problem per visit is a matter of preference, and it is better to know than to guess.
Who else in this office might I see instead of you?
Why ask it
Many practices share patients among several doctors, nurses and other clinicians. For an ongoing problem, find out whether you can request the same person each time, so you are not retelling the story at every visit.
What is the best way to get my records from my last doctor to you?
Why ask it
Transfers can be slow, and it is not always obvious who starts one, so pin down whether this office sends the request or you do. Until the file arrives, bring your own list of past diagnoses, operations and current medicines.
Can I see my test results and visit notes online?
Why ask it
If there is a portal, have someone at the desk help you log in before you go, while a person is on hand to fix whatever goes wrong. Reading your own visit notes afterward is also how you catch a detail that was recorded wrongly.
Do you also see patients by video or phone, and for what kinds of problems?
Why ask it
Worth knowing if getting to the office is hard for you. Ask what they will not handle remotely, so you don't book a call only to be told to come in.
Which hospital and which specialists do you usually send patients to?
Why ask it
That is where you would end up if something bigger came along, so look at how far away those places are and how you would get there. If you have insurance, check that your plan covers them before the day you need them.
If I want a family member to be able to call you about my care, what do you need from me?
Why ask it
Privacy rules are not the same in every country or every office, and many will tell a relative nothing without your permission on file. Signing the form while you are well beats trying to arrange it from a hospital bed.
A diagnosis
What is this called, and can you write the name down for me?
Why ask it
Spoken medical terms are hard to catch and harder to spell later. With the exact name on paper you can look it up, tell your family and repeat it to other clinicians without guessing.
How serious is this?
Why ask it
It is often the real question behind all the others, so ask it outright. Have the doctor place it on a scale you can use: something to mention next time, something to deal with this month, or something that changes your plans. If the answer is 'it depends', ask on what.
Can you explain that again in plain words?
Why ask it
Say it the moment you lose the thread, not at the end of the visit, because everything after that point is built on the part you missed. If the second explanation is no clearer, ask the doctor to draw it or compare it to something everyday.
Do you mind if I take notes, or record this part on my phone?
Why ask it
Check before you press record, since the rules on recording depend on where you live and some doctors would rather you didn't. Notes are almost never a problem, and a recording lets someone at home hear the explanation firsthand.
How sure are you that this is what I have?
Why ask it
Some diagnoses are confirmed, and some are the best fit so far. Knowing which kind yours is tells you how firm the plan is and whether more testing is coming.
What else could explain these symptoms?
Why ask it
There is usually a short list of possibilities behind a diagnosis. Hearing it tells you what the doctor is still watching for, and why you may be asked to report a symptom that seems unrelated.
What do you think caused it?
Why ask it
'We don't know' is a common and honest answer here. When you get it, ask whether finding the cause would change anything about what you do next, because if it would not, you can stop chasing it.
Could one of my medicines be causing this?
Why ask it
Worth raising when a symptom showed up within weeks of a new prescription or a change of dose, so bring the dates if you have them. Whatever you suspect, let the doctor decide whether anything is stopped or swapped.
Is this something that goes away, something I manage, or something that changes over time?
Why ask it
This gets you the general shape of it without asking the doctor to predict your future. The answer tells you whether you are planning for the next two weeks or rearranging something longer.
Is this contagious, and if so for how long?
Why ask it
A yes brings practical questions: who at home needs to know, when you can go back to work or school, and whether anyone you have already seen should be told. A no means you can stop keeping your distance from people for nothing.
How is this likely to affect my work, driving, exercise and daily routine?
Why ask it
Name the specific things you do, since the doctor cannot guess your job or your habits. Ask what to stop, what you can carry on with, and when that advice will be reviewed.
What can I do myself that would help, and is there anything I am doing that makes it worse?
Why ask it
Describe what you really do, including the habits you would rather not mention, or the advice will be for somebody else. If the list of changes is long, ask which one or two would make the most difference and start there.
How does this fit with the other conditions I already have?
Why ask it
A specialist may be focused on one problem, and this makes them look at your whole list. An unsure answer is useful too: it tells you nobody is keeping track of all of it yet, and that you need to ask who should.
Should anyone in my family be checked for this?
Why ask it
If the answer is yes, get the exact words your relatives should use with their own doctors, because 'something my brother has' is hard for anyone to act on. If it is no, that is one worry you can take off the family's list.
Do I need to see a specialist for this, or can you manage it here?
Why ask it
If a referral is coming, find out who makes the appointment, how long the wait usually is and what to do in the meantime. Referrals do get lost, so agree a date after which you should chase it.
Where can I read more about this that you would trust?
Why ask it
It beats searching alone at midnight. Ask for a specific website, leaflet or patient group, and bring back anything you read that confuses or worries you.
Would you support me getting a second opinion on this?
Why ask it
It is an ordinary request, and you can make it without giving a reason. The practical part is the paperwork: have the office send your results on first so the second doctor is not starting from nothing.
A test
What is this test looking for?
Why ask it
You are after the question the test answers, in one sentence short enough to repeat. You will be the one explaining it when a nurse or a relative asks why you are having it.
How will the result change what we do?
Why ask it
This may be the most useful thing to ask about any test. If the plan would be the same whatever the result, it is fair to ask why the test is needed now.
What does the test involve, and how long does it take?
Why ask it
Have the doctor describe what will physically happen: a blood draw, a scan, lying still, something to drink. Knowing the steps lets you arrange time off and a ride home if you will need one.
Do I need to do anything to prepare, such as fasting or pausing a medicine?
Why ask it
Have the instructions written down, with times, and do not go by what you did for a different test last year. A missed step can mean doing the whole test again.
Are there any risks or after-effects I should know about?
Why ask it
Many tests have none worth mentioning, and it still helps to hear that said. If there are some, ask what is normal afterward and what should prompt a call.
When will the results be ready, and how will I hear?
Why ask it
Get a date and a method: a call, a letter, the portal. Then ask what to do if that date passes in silence, because no news does not always mean good news.
Who will explain the results to me, or will I only see the numbers?
Why ask it
In some places a result reaches the patient portal before the doctor has read it. A number with no explanation can frighten you for nothing or reassure you wrongly, so find out who will tell you what it means, and when.
If the result comes back normal, what would we look at next?
Why ask it
A normal result rules one thing out and can leave the symptom unexplained. Hearing the next step now means a clear result is not the end of the conversation if you still feel unwell.
How reliable is this test? Could it miss something or raise a false alarm?
Why ask it
No test is perfect, and a doctor who orders this one often should be able to say where it tends to go wrong. Ask what happens next if the result does not match how you feel.
What happens if I wait, or decide not to have it?
Why ask it
Asking this is not refusing. It tells you how urgent the test is, and whether a month's delay would cost you anything or simply postpone the answer.
Is there a simpler or less invasive test that would tell us the same thing?
Why ask it
The doctor may have weighed a simpler test and passed over it, and the reason is worth hearing. Now and then the answer is that it would be a reasonable place to start.
I had a similar test recently. Can you use those results instead?
Why ask it
Repeating a test costs you time and sometimes money. Tell the doctor where and when the earlier one was done, and ask the office to request it before booking a new one.
Where should I have this done, and does it matter which lab or clinic I use?
Why ask it
The office may have a place it always uses, or the choice may be yours. Make sure the results will reach your doctor from wherever you go, and if you are paying or claiming on insurance, find out whether the price or the cover changes with the location.
Can I have a copy of the results for my own records?
Why ask it
Keep your own file, on paper or on your phone. It is often the quickest way to bring a new doctor or an emergency room up to date.
A medication
What is this medicine called, and what is it for?
Why ask it
Leave with the name on paper and the purpose in a few plain words. Once you are taking several medicines, knowing which one does what stops you blaming the wrong one when something feels off.
How and when do I take it?
Why ask it
Get the details: time of day, with food or without, and what to do on days your routine changes. When you collect it, check that the label says the same thing, and ask the pharmacist if it doesn't.
How long will I be taking it?
Why ask it
A short course and a long-term medicine call for different habits. Ask whether you stop when the supply runs out or whether someone needs to review it first.
What do I do if I forget to take it, or take it twice by mistake?
Why ask it
Do not assume the answer from another medicine you have taken, because it is not the same for all of them. Write what the doctor says on the box, where you will find it on the day it happens.
Which side effects are common, and which ones should I call you about?
Why ask it
A long printed list with no ranking is hard to act on. Have the doctor mark the few that are expected and usually settle, and the few they would want to hear about straight away.
How will we know whether it is working, and how soon?
Why ask it
Pin down what you should notice and by when. That gives you a date to report back, instead of wondering for months whether to keep going.
Here is everything else I take, including vitamins and things from the pharmacy shelf. Does any of it clash with this?
Why ask it
Bring the list or the bottles themselves. The doctor can only check against what they know about, and supplements and occasional remedies are the ones people forget to mention.
Is there anything I should avoid while taking it, such as certain foods, alcohol or driving?
Why ask it
Mention the things you really do: the early drive to work, the supplement every morning, the drink at the weekend. The pharmacist is worth asking the same question when you pick the medicine up.
Is this safe to take if I am pregnant, breastfeeding or hoping to be?
Why ask it
Bring it up yourself if it applies, or might during the time you are on the medicine, because the doctor may not think to ask. Plans count as much as the present here, and the question is worth repeating if your situation changes.
Is there a cheaper version, or a different medicine that does the same job?
Why ask it
Cost is a medical question if it decides whether you fill the prescription. Say plainly when the price is a problem, so the doctor can look for an alternative instead of finding out later that you never started.
Is there anything other than medicine we could try first, or alongside it?
Why ask it
Whichever way the answer goes, you hear the reasoning behind the prescription. If there is something else to try, ask how long to give it and what result would bring the medicine back into the discussion.
What happens if I stop taking it, and can I stop all at once?
Why ask it
The time to ask is now, before a bad week makes stopping tempting. Some medicines can simply be stopped and others are meant to be reduced gradually, so learn which kind this is while you are still in the room.
Do I need blood tests or check-ups while I am on this?
Why ask it
A yes raises two more questions: who books them, you or the office, and what happens to the prescription if one is missed. Put the dates in your calendar before you leave.
How do I get a refill, and how much notice does the office need?
Why ask it
Refill rules vary by practice, pharmacy and medicine. Ask how it works here so you are not counting your last pills over a holiday weekend.
Can we go through all my medicines and check whether I still need each one?
Why ask it
Lists grow over the years as different doctors add to them. A review can clear out what is no longer needed, and it should be the prescriber, not you alone, who decides what stops.
A treatment
What are all my options, including doing nothing for now?
Why ask it
Hear the full list before you discuss the recommended one. Watching and waiting is a real choice for some problems and a poor one for others, and you should be told which this is.
Which option would you recommend for me, and why?
Why ask it
Listen for reasons that refer to you: your age, your other conditions, what you said matters to you. If the reasoning sounds general, ask what would make them recommend something else.
What are the benefits and risks of each option?
Why ask it
Have them set side by side, in plain words. If the doctor gives figures, ask what they mean for someone like you, and write the answers down, because this is the part that is hardest to recall at home.
What is the goal of this treatment: to cure it, control it or ease the symptoms?
Why ask it
The same treatment can be worth it for one goal and not for another. Knowing the aim tells you how to judge later whether it worked.
How soon do I need to decide?
Why ask it
From inside the room it is hard to tell a decision that cannot wait from one that only feels that way, so ask for an actual deadline. Days or weeks are time to read, talk to family or get another opinion.
How many times have you done this procedure, and how often is it done here?
Why ask it
The question is about routine, not a promise of results: whether this is everyday work for the person and for the place. If it is done rarely here, ask where it is done more often and whether going there would make sense for you.
Which hospital or clinic would you choose for this, and do I have a say?
Why ask it
How much choice you get depends on your health system or your insurance plan, so ask how it works where you are. When there is a choice, ask what the doctor would weigh: how often the place handles this, how far it is from home, and who looks after you if you have to stay.
Can you walk me through the day itself, from arriving to going home?
Why ask it
A full answer covers who you will see, whether you will be awake and how long each part takes. The parts you can picture are the parts you can plan around.
How much pain should I expect, and how will it be managed?
Why ask it
Have the doctor describe the first few days in ordinary terms: sore, stiff, or needing something stronger. Find out what you will be given and who to call if it is not enough, and say now if a pain medicine has disagreed with you before.
How long is recovery, and what will I be able to do at each stage?
Why ask it
Bring up the things you will have to arrange around: work, driving, lifting, stairs. Timelines are averages, so also ask what might make your own recovery slower than the usual one.
Will I need someone with me afterward, and for how long?
Why ask it
Find out before the date is set, since you may have to ask a favor of someone. Ask whether it means a ride home, one night or a week of help.
What could go wrong, and what would you do if it did?
Why ask it
Listen to the second half as closely as the first. You are hoping to hear what the team would do, how quickly, and whether it would be handled in the same place or mean a transfer somewhere else.
What happens if the treatment doesn't work?
Why ask it
This is about the next step, and asking it does not mean you expect the first one to fail. Find out too how long you would give this treatment before anyone decides it has not worked.
Is there anything I can do beforehand to help it go well?
Why ask it
The honest answer is sometimes nothing, and that is worth knowing too. Anything you are asked to do is easier to follow as a short written list with dates than as something said once in passing.
What will I have to pay, and who can give me an estimate in writing?
Why ask it
How this works depends on your country and your coverage, and the doctor may point you to a billing office. If insurance is involved, ask whether every clinician taking part is covered, not only the one you have met, and whether approval is needed before the date.
Are there newer treatments or studies I could be considered for?
Why ask it
For many conditions the answer is a quick no, and it costs nothing to check. When there is something, find out who runs it and what taking part would involve before you get your hopes up.
If this were you or someone in your family, what would you do?
Why ask it
Some doctors answer this directly and some would rather not, because their life is not yours. If you get a sidestep, ask instead which single fact about your situation weighs most in their recommendation.
Before you leave
Can I repeat the plan back to you to check I have it right?
Why ask it
Say it in your own words: what you have, what you are doing about it and what happens next. Any gap between your version and theirs gets fixed while you are still in the room.
What are the next steps, and which of them are mine to do?
Why ask it
Sort the list into what the office will do and what you have to do: book, pick up, call. Follow-ups get dropped when each side assumes the other is handling them.
Can I tell you what I was most worried about coming in, so you can say whether we covered it?
Why ask it
Say the worry out loud, even if it sounds unlikely. A doctor cannot address a fear they never hear, and leaving without an answer usually means carrying it to the next appointment.
Which symptoms can wait for my next visit, which need a call, and which need emergency care?
Why ask it
Three tiers are easier to act on at two in the morning than 'keep an eye on it'. Write them down in the doctor's own words.
When should I expect to feel better, and what should I do if I don't?
Why ask it
This covers the whole plan, not one medicine: the rest, the treatment, the time. Get a rough date and agree what you do if it passes with no change, whether that is a call, a message or another visit.
If I only remember one thing from today, what should it be?
Why ask it
After a long visit it is easy to leave holding three half-remembered instructions. This makes the doctor choose the one that counts, and it is the line to write at the top of your notes.
Is there anything I should have asked and didn't?
Why ask it
The doctor has probably had this conversation many times, and you are having it for the first time. Asking takes ten seconds, and now and then it brings out something you would not have known to raise, such as a form you will need or a symptom to watch for.
When should I come back, and should I book it now?
Why ask it
Push for a time frame instead of 'see how you go'. Booking on the way out is easier than calling later, and you can always move it.
Can I have a written summary of today's visit?
Why ask it
Many offices can print one or post it to the portal, though some only do it when asked. It is what you show a family member or another doctor who wants to know what was said.
Will you send a note about today to my other doctors?
Why ask it
Do not assume your clinicians talk to each other, especially across different hospitals or systems. Ask what gets sent and to whom, and carry your own summary in case it doesn't arrive.
How does the prescription get to my pharmacy, and when will it be ready?
Why ask it
It may be sent electronically or handed to you on paper. When it is sent, check that the office has the right pharmacy on file, so that if nothing is waiting you know to call them instead of standing in line.
I need a note for work or a form signed. Can that be done today?
Why ask it
Paperwork asked for during the visit is quicker than paperwork requested afterward, and some offices charge for it. Bring the form with your part already filled in.
I have a couple of things we didn't get to. Should I book another visit or send them as a message?
Why ask it
Better than squeezing them into the last thirty seconds. The doctor can tell you which can wait and which they would want to see you for.
Getting clear answers in a short appointment
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
Preparing for a short appointment
Write the list, then rank it
Write down everything you want to raise, then mark the one or two that matter most and say those first. A concern saved for the doorway gets a rushed answer, or none.
Tell the story in order
Note when the problem started, what it feels like, what makes it better or worse and what you have already tried. Dates and specifics save the doctor from asking for them one at a time, which leaves more of the visit for your questions.
Bring the bottles, or a list
Carry a current list of everything you take, including vitamins, supplements and anything bought without a prescription, with how much and how often. A photo of each label works. Add your allergies and any bad reactions you have had.
Pick the questions to ask your doctor before you go
Choose five or six from the group that fits this visit and write them where you can see them, with space under each for the answer. If time runs out, ask which of the rest can go in a message.
Tell the front desk what you need
When you book, say so if you have several issues, need an interpreter, or have trouble hearing or getting onto an exam table. Offices can often allow for these things in advance and rarely can on the day. Questions about cost and coverage belong on that call too, so they do not use up your minutes with the doctor.
Bringing someone with you
Choose the right person
Pick someone calm who will listen more than talk, and who you are comfortable having in the room for private details. A relative who argues with doctors or answers for you makes the visit harder.
Give them a job
Before you go in, say what you want from them: take notes, ask the questions you forget, or just sit there. Hand them the list. Two people who each assume the other is writing things down leave with nothing on paper.
Keep the conversation yours
The doctor should be talking to you. If they start addressing your companion instead, say so kindly, and ask your companion to hold their questions until you have asked yours.
Ask for time alone if you need it
There may be things you would rather say with nobody else in the room. It is normal to ask your companion to step out for part of the visit, and doctors are used to arranging it.
If nobody can come
Ask whether a relative can join by phone or video for the important part, or whether you may record the explanation. Failing that, ask for the written summary and go through it with someone that evening.
Asking for a second opinion
When it is worth asking
A second opinion makes most sense before a big or irreversible decision, when the diagnosis is uncertain or unusual, when treatment is not doing what was expected, or when you can't settle on a choice. For everyday problems it is seldom needed.
How to raise it
Say it plainly: 'This is a big decision and I would like another doctor to look at it before I go ahead.' It is a routine request. Doctors ask each other for opinions as part of the job, and you do not owe anyone an apology for wanting one.
Ask whether waiting is safe
Before you take time to get another view, ask your first doctor how long the decision can reasonably wait. Then you know whether you have weeks or need the second appointment this week.
Check what it costs first
Coverage for second opinions varies by insurer and by country, and some plans have their own rules about when one is needed. Call the number on your card, or ask the office how it works there, before you book.
Send the records ahead
Ask your doctor's office to forward test results, scans and visit notes, and confirm that they arrived. A second doctor with the full file can give an opinion. One without it may have to repeat tests before saying anything useful.
When the two disagree
Ask each doctor why they think the other reached a different view, and what would settle it. You can take the second opinion back to the first doctor. Which of them you carry on with is usually your choice, and if the system you are in limits it, ask how that works there.
When the visit isn't going well
You don't understand the answer
Say 'I didn't follow that, can you put it another way?' as often as you need to. Then try saying back what you think you heard and let the doctor correct it. Nodding along is how people leave without the thing they came for.
You feel rushed
Name it without blame: 'I know time is short, and I have two more questions that matter to me.' Then ask the more important one. If there really is no time, ask how to get the rest answered and by whom.
You are embarrassed to bring something up
Whatever it is, the doctor has very likely heard it before. If saying it is hard, write it on your list and hand the list over, or say 'there is something I find awkward to talk about' and let them lead.
You feel you weren't heard
Say what you are still worried about and ask what would need to happen for it to be looked into. If that goes nowhere, ask whether you can see another doctor in the practice, and how changing doctors works there.
You forgot to ask something
Send it through the portal or call the office the next day, while the visit is fresh. Start with your name, the date you were seen and the one question, so whoever picks it up can answer without hunting for context.