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A patient receiving an annual physical exam

What does an annual physical exam include?

09/17/25
Diseases and other health conditions are easier to treat when physicians catch them early. Regular physical exams include tests that cover different aspects of health. These can depend on the person’s age, sex and health needs.

Getting regular physical exams, often at a family physician’s office, is an important way to maintain good health and prevent diseases. During physical exams, physicians can help encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle. These visits are also an essential way to establish an ongoing, trusting relationship between physician and patient.

A physical exam is also sometimes called a health screening, annual physical, health maintenance visit, wellness appointment, physical checkup or checkup.

Physical exam basics

During a physical exam, the physician will often ask the person about their personal and family health history.

A person’s family health history is a record of the health conditions and diseases in their family. It’s critical for healthcare teams to know family medical history because a person shares many of the same genes as their genetic family. People with the same or similar genes may be more likely to develop the same conditions.

A healthcare team may ask a person to share family medical information, like:

  • Who in their family has a chronic disease, and what their relation is to the patient (e.g., father, sister or grandparent)
  • When the family member received their diagnosis
  • If they passed away from a disease or health condition, and how old they were when they died
  • The patient’s ethnic background

They’ll also ask general questions about a person’s health, like new symptoms they might be having or if they had unsafe health habits in the past. Some people who smoked, used recreational drugs or regularly consumed alcohol may still have higher risks for some conditions even if they’ve stopped.

The tests a physical exam includes depend on the person’s age, sex and health status. People may get some of these screenings but not others.

For example, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that people between the ages of 45 and 75 get screened for colorectal cancer. A physician may suggest testing before age 45 if a person has risk factors, like a family history of colorectal cancer.

During a physical exam, the physician will:

  • Check blood pressure
  • Look at the eyes and ears
  • Feel the body gently with hands or fingers
  • Listen to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope

The physician may also order blood tests to check for things like blood glucose and cholesterol. They may also recommend cancer screenings or vaccinations.

Vaccinations

Getting regular physical exams helps people stay up to date on their vaccinations.

Vaccinations or immunizations are a good way to help prevent common diseases that can otherwise cause illness, disability and sometimes death.

It’s important for each person to keep their vaccinations up to date to help protect themselves and others who can’t get vaccinated. Children and teens get vaccinations routinely as part of their healthcare, and so do adults.

For instance, COVID-19 and flu vaccinations are important for preventing potentially serious illness from these two common diseases.

Other common vaccinations in adults include:

  • Tetanus
  • Diphtheria
  • Whooping cough vaccination
  • Vaccinations for travelers, depending on the destination

Cancer screenings

Screening for these types of cancer is recommended on a routine basis for some people, depending on their age, sex and risk level. Typically, a provider can refer the person to a specialist during their annual physical, and a specialist will conduct the cancer screenings at a later appointment.

A healthcare professional may refer someone for genetic cancer testing if they have a strong family history of cancer.

  • Breast cancer: Current recommendations are for females ages 40 to 74 years who have an average risk of breast cancer to get a mammogram every 2 years.
  • Cervical cancer screening: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that people get Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer starting at age 21 up to at least age 65. If results come back normal, physicians will often recommend getting Pap tests every 3 years.
  • Colorectal (colon) cancer screening: Adults ages 45 to 75 should get screened regularly. Several types of tests are available, such as colonoscopy and stool tests.
  • Lung cancer screening: Physicians only recommend screening tests for lung cancer in people at high risk of lung cancer. The test for this is low dose computed tomography (a low dose CT scan).

How often to get physical exams

The best way to find out how often to get a physical exam is to ask a physician. Generally, it’s recommended to get a physical at least once a year.

A person may need to get checked more often if they have certain risk factors, such as kidney issues, diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of a health condition.

Why are physical exams important?

Getting regular physical exams is an important way to monitor health and help prevent health issues before they occur, or identify and treat them in the early stages.

Some common signs of health issues don’t have any symptoms, at least in the early stages, including:

  • High blood pressure
  • High blood glucose
  • High cholesterol

Healthcare teams often test or order tests for all these during a typical physical exam. Taking steps to address these conditions early can help prevent heart disease or diabetes.

Takeaway

A physical exam is an essential part of staying healthy. They help prevent diseases and health issues before they happen and catch them in the early stages when they’re still highly treatable.

What a physical exam should include depends on the person’s age, sex and other health needs. The best way to find out is to ask a physician.

Primary care doctors (also called primary care physicians or primary care providers) at Crystal Run Healthcare provide both the first point of contact for patients with an undiagnosed health concern as well as continuing care for varied medical conditions, not limited by cause, organ system or diagnosis. We offer integrated, coordinated care for all patients, including those with common medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. In fact, our care management data proves that patients with these conditions receive better care, demonstrated by measures that exceed national quality benchmarks. Whether you choose a family medicine practitioner, an internist, or a geriatric specialist, your primary care provider at Crystal Run Healthcare will manage and coordinate all your healthcare needs.