How common is it for a doctor >60-70 years old to work <25 hours?

[ejay19955]

One thing I want in my career is not being forced to retire. I am not a workaholic, but at the same time I can't imagine not working at all. I want to be able to work past typical retirement age but less than full time at that point. Wouldn't mind working >80 hours before 50, though. Have you seen any doc do that? If so in what practice settings and specialty? FWIW I have been accepted to a few MD/PhD programs so far and desire to practice in academia.

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[whatever5]

n = 1, a doc I talked to at an interview was retired but still had a small practice and taught a course at the med school. It's doable for sure.

 

[Tenk]

Easily doable in some fields that are shift based. Requires more work but still doable in practice based work.

 

[w0rldw3y3d]

I'm pretty sure as long as your mind is sharp, and you don't have anything too physically debilitating, you can work well into old age. In fact, that's how you become an OG doc. You'd be the yoda of your field.

 

[ejay19955]

Thanks all! And @Tenk what would be the examples of the shift-based specialties? I know EM is one but can a 76-year old doc handle a 12 hour shift normally? 😉

 

[LizzyM]

Here's an eye doctor who is still working, but not operating, at 80!
https://yalealumnimagazine.com/articles/4188/renee-richards

 

[Tenk]

Thanks all! And @Tenk what would be the examples of the shift-based specialties? I know EM is one but can a 76-year old doc handle a 12 hour shift normally? 😉

Most hospitalist jobs, ICU, some trauma practices (but usually they will want you to operate elective as well, you can still take trauma call though part time), taking call for private practice groups. Probably others but I can't think of them.

For EM it depends. In a high volume community hospital? Doubtful.

In a mid-volume academic hospital with tons of residents to do all your work? Probably. Some of my favorite docs in residency were 65+, because they were just fountains of knowledge you can't learn from a text book. Never minded doing all their charts since they actually taught me things.

 

[bararaboi]

My grandfather and many elders in my community are >70 and still work more than 50 hours a week as physicians. They all work in private practice so they haven't been forced out. Don't know if that's a thing in academia.

 

[TallPreMed]

I work with a lot of physicians who are PCPs and they work until they turn to dust lol... At least that's what it seems to me. But in Westeen PA our geriatric population is one of the highest out there and it seems like a lot of our physicians don't want to retire and make their older patients especially find a new doctor.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I work with a lot of physicians who are PCPs and they work until they turn to dust lol...

Sounds very encouraging.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I think Dr. Warren at HSS is still operating and he's 75+.

Dr. James Andrews is still going strong at 73.

 

[allantois]

It's a great profession, unlike most others, for when it comes to working into old age: as age only adds to your reputation and respect in the community.

 

[flapjack3d]

another n=1. i know a 80 y/old doc who works ~10 hours/wk at someone else's private practice. can only do basic stuff though since he's kind of locked into outdated methods and information.

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

Doc at one of the ER's I work at works 4 shifts a month; 75 years old and has nice little paycheck from it to do "booze-filled activities" as he calls it.

 

[Law2Doc]

Thanks all! And @Tenk what would be the examples of the shift-based specialties? I know EM is one but can a 76-year old doc handle a 12 hour shift normally? 😉

Most of the EM attendings I know readily concede it's a young person field. The shifts are intense paced, always on your feet, often overnight. A great job for a 25 year old cowboy with ADD. The burn out rate is not insignificant.

Jobs you can do later in life are radiology, pathology and cardiology. Not coincidentally, these are the same fields where there are tight job markets because too few are retiring. A lot of the non-acute IM sub specialties (eg rheum) probably lend themselves to reduced hours later in ones career as well.

 

[Goro]

I have a very good friend who is a hospitalist/ICU guy in his early 70s and still going strong.

With an MD/phD, you can always post-doc once you leave clinical practice.

One thing I want in my career is not being forced to retire. I am not a workaholic, but at the same time I can't imagine not working at all. I want to be able to work past typical retirement age but less than full time at that point. Wouldn't mind working >80 hours before 50, though. Have you seen any doc do that? If so in what practice settings and specialty? FWIW I have been accepted to a few MD/PhD programs so far and desire to practice in academia.

 

[Bsch1951]

.

 

[ChrisMack390]

In my experience, good doctors get to a point where they can do whatever the hell they want. If that includes 1 clinic day a week, so be it.

 

[Incis0r]

My PCP is in early to mid 70s, and works 40 hrs/week. He's awesome!

 

[mvenus929]

We have a handful of Peds sub specialists who see clinic patients a couple times per week, but don't take call and don't do inpatient work. Our chair also does clinical work in addition to chair responsibilities and is likely close to 70. His wife is only retiring because she doesn't want to take the recert exam again.

I imagine you can find something where you can work well into old age, and if you manage your finances right, can do it without worrying about needing to work.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I know plenty of retired docs who spend their time trolling around the hospital harassing interns and doing whatever. Another doctor I know also owns a farm. Plenty to do once you've retired!

 

[wujm28]

Hey All, I'm sorry to interrupt but I am new and I want to post a discussion to ask a question. How do i make a forum post?

 

[medic86]

Thanks all! And @Tenk what would be the examples of the shift-based specialties? I know EM is one but can a 76-year old doc handle a 12 hour shift normally? 😉

Most hospitalist jobs, ICU, some trauma practices (but usually they will want you to operate elective as well, you can still take trauma call though part time), taking call for private practice groups. Probably others but I can't think of them.

For EM it depends. In a high volume community hospital? Doubtful.

In a mid-volume academic hospital with tons of residents to do all your work? Probably. Some of my favorite docs in residency were 65+, because they were just fountains of knowledge you can't learn from a text book. Never minded doing all their charts since they actually taught me things.

I know of an 80+ year old physician still working in an ED. He's not the fastest, but I've worked with worse (and they were younger, lol). Guy's still incredibly sharp, too.

As for volume, I'm not sure: the average at this facility is 97 patients over a 24 hour period (11 beds).

 

[maxwell_edison]

My dad is on his way to retiring from Kaiser, but he is planning on doing international work part time after, as well as potentially some more public health related stuff domestically.

I think it would be really hard to do a full, "beer on the rocking chair" retirement as a doctor. You'd be going from 60-0 in a second.

 

[Pusheen]

I know plenty of retired docs who spend their time trolling around the hospital harassing interns and doing whatever.

new life goals

 

[oldbearprofessor]

There are actually a lot of neonatologists who work past age 70. Many but not all or even close to all of them work in step down type settings (Level 2). Working with NNPs, residents and fellows makes this quite possible, especially in the academic setting. So, it doesn't have to be a low key field. Many but not all cut down or stop in-house night call in their late 50's and 60's but daytime work isn't really an issue even in a NICU setting in the 60's and in some cases beyond.

 

[maxwell_edison]

Another family friend does a concierge GI practice at 70+. One of his many pursuits, but it lets him keep doing medicine, without many of the hassles of modern medicine.

 

[tunicaexterna]

I have a family member that's a surgeon. He's in his late 60's and still in the OR ~60-70 hours a week.