When to retire?

(Chapter from my book, A Doc Who Jots, published in 2023)

"After many years of working, this becomes something for all to consider.

Physicians currently have no mandatory retirement age, regardless of specialty. The American Medical Association (AMA) estimates about 30% of the current work force is greater than 65 years old. Whether or not there should be a mandatory retirment age for physicians is an ongoing hotly debated topic.

However, the AMA also predicts a significant shortage of physicians in the next decade or so.

Many feel this anticipated shortage will discourage healthcare organizations from using cognitive and functional evaluation tools to screen elderly physicians, to encourage and allow existing physicians to remain in practice for as long as posible.

I have known many physicians who have continued to see patients well into thier 80s.

I will not be one such physician.

I knew an ophthalmologist, years ago, who was still an effective clinician at age 86 (due to his long-term memory), but whose family finally convinced him to retire when he got lost driving home from work, twice.

My grandfather continued to practice with metastatic prostate cancer until he became too symptomatic and weak to see patients. I can't remember if he ever officially retired. He died months later.

However, many of my medical school classmates and fellow residency graduates have already retired.

My dentist, whom I have seen for 29 years and is my age, recently announced his retirement.

My family doctor, who I have seen for over 25 years and is my age, recently announced his retirement as well.

All these announcements always take me aback.

Aren't they too young to retire?

My wife has stated, "you won't know what to do with yourself if you retire."

I don't have these same concerns.

John Chase MD, in his excellent book, "You What?!" makes some recommendations for physicians regarding this issue and it's applicable to most careers.

He advises you should continue to work if you still enjoy what you are doing, but goes on to recommend retiring when:

1. You are still valued, but not yet pitied and...

2. When you have enough, and you have just about had enough.

I continue to enjoy practicing on most days, but admittedly, after some days, have just about had enough.

I'm sure I'm still valued, but "when you have enough," given the world in which we live, is possibly the hardest question to feel confident in trying to answer.

A colleague recently reminded me of the social security life-expectancy calculator.

I entered my profile.

The result was a little depressing.

So..I'll continue to thoughtfully ponder when to retire from medicine."

Quick update: I retired 27 days ago!