Surgical career - 60+

[Grurik]

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Hi all,

I wonder some about how many of surgeons who are a bit older thinks about continuing working. I'm a MS3 student wanting to pursue surgery as a career and really want to work up in the ages. I've had some family friends who are surgeons and still performing surgeries as 70+ year olds.

If I imagine my career right now I really want to do surgeries until I'm really old. However, I'm guessing this is how many feels but with family, normal aging etc you change your mind.

For example, I guess some specialties are harder to continue performing surgeries in. I guess ENT, Uro etc are easier to continue with minor procedures whilst in CT surg (even though DeBakey should be noted here 😀 ) or NS it is quite hard to perform even the bread and butter cases I guess.

So, how do you feel? Did you feel as a MS that you would want to operate until you died and have now changed your mind?

A recent article on the subject: http://journals.lww.com/annalsofsurgery/Citation/2014/08000/The_Aging_Surgeon.1.aspx

 

[vhawk]

there arent many 60+ people posting here, this is the internet not the Western Union office

 

[doc05]

If you expect to practice well past 60, then you're out of your mind.

 

[pathologyDO]

Hi all,

I wonder some about how many of surgeons who are a bit older thinks about continuing working. I'm a MS3 student wanting to pursue surgery as a career and really want to work up in the ages. I've had some family friends who are surgeons and still performing surgeries as 70+ year olds.

If I imagine my career right now I really want to do surgeries until I'm really old. However, I'm guessing this is how many feels but with family, normal aging etc you change your mind.

For example, I guess some specialties are harder to continue performing surgeries in. I guess ENT, Uro etc are easier to continue with minor procedures whilst in CT surg (even though DeBakey should be noted here 😀 ) or NS it is quite hard to perform even the bread and butter cases I guess.

So, how do you feel? Did you feel as a MS that you would want to operate until you died and have now changed your mind?

A recent article on the subject: http://journals.lww.com/annalsofsurgery/Citation/2014/08000/The_Aging_Surgeon.1.aspx

My gramps continued to practice and take call into his mid 70s as an orthopod hand surgeon

 

[Kahreek]

the question is why would you want to practice past that age.
I guess you could, if you have an healthy ageing. but don't expect to be hot stuff, despite the tales of old surgeons bosses that float around in academic lore.
Many just do small procedures or become chair something to boss around the hospital.
Ohh and surgery is becoming much more broad and open, is not like a secret dark magic society like in the old times where there were inventors and owners or certain techniques that had "the gift", give any young surgeon enough time and incentive$ he will become as great than the old guy. There is no real excuse to be a bad surgeon nowadays, with all the access to knowledge and media.
If you are you, better take responsibility and step off your position.

 

[pathologyDO]

If you have aged well and are really good at what you do I see no reason why not to keep doing what you love past 60. Some people wouldn't know what to do with themselves (my grandfather) if they didn't work... It's like that for a lot of people in many careers.

 

[Winged Scapula]

My grandparents and parents all work(ed) well into their 70s despite being financially well off and not needing to continue to work; as noted above, if you love what you do, it isn't necessary to retire,

 

[LucidSplash]

Some will stop operating but continue to work with surgical patients icon a related fashion. We have an older surgeon who no longer operates as our main attending covering the chief service clinic.

 

[VisionaryTics]

I have no idea what I want when I'm 60, but it's nice to have options. I've seen ENT attendings who do 100% medical otolaryngology (just clinic and refer to colleagues for surgical issues) and I've seen attendings operating past 70. One of our faculty is past 70 and did a mandibulotomy and composite resection last week.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I felt like I was 70 years old on Thursday after staying out until 1 AM at a Lady Gaga concert.

Does that count? LOL

 

[dr zaius]

I felt like I was 70 years old on Thursday after staying out until 1 AM at a Lady Gaga concert.

Does that count? LOL

Depends on your %glitter TBSA at the end of the night.

 

[Danbo1957]

Does that count? LOL

Depends. With whom did you go?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Depends. With whom did you go?

A female plastic surgeon and 2 gay male dance instructors.

 

[Danbo1957]

🙂 At least you weren't with a couple of 22 year-olds.

 

[Winged Scapula]

🙂 At least you weren't with a couple of 22 year-olds.

No, the boys were a few years older (but still in their 20s).

It was quite the eclectic crowd; I saw several people in the 60-70s range and children under 10.

 

[Danbo1957]

Well, we inquire sometimes... you know, with the whole Cougariffic! thinga-ma-stuff..., and all. 🙂