Medical masters: A pilot study of adaptive ageing in physicians.

AIM

To describe models of career and lifestyle options for ageing doctors that suggest adaptability to ageing and retirement.

METHOD

Doctors aged 60 or older from Australia, Canada and the United States (n= 25) deemed to be ageing well by peers were administered a semistructured interview to obtain demographic and qualitative data regarding lifestyle, attitudes to ageing and retirement.

RESULTS

Emergent themes included: (i) insights into the physical and psychological vicissitudes of ageing and the effects of such on practice; (ii) the need for adaptations in working hours and choice of work; (iii) the importance of long-term retirement planning; (iv) the usefulness of a transitional phase to ease into retirement; and (v) the need to cultivate a variety of medical and non-medical pursuits and relationships early in one's career.

CONCLUSION

These insights might encourage doctors to engage in long-term occupational, familial, social and financial planning and provide potential models of adaptive ageing in doctors for further study.