For many physicians, the end of a clinical career arrives with a question that’s hard to answer: What comes next? After decades of 12-hour days, on-call nights, and the weight of other people’s lives, stepping away from medicine feels like stepping away from the identity that shaped everything else. Most physicians expect to retire around 60, but the actual average is closer to 69. That gap says something about how hard it is to leave a career that defined nearly every part of your adult life.
When we polled over 1,300 physicians on Sermo, only 10% of respondents were fully retired, and 38% plan to work for at least another 20 years. But as a psychiatrist on Sermo put it, “Retirement doesn’t always mean leaving medicine behind. Many physicians continue contributing in ways that feel sustainable and meaningful. The shift from practitioner to guide can be deeply fulfilling, allowing retired physicians to shape the next generation without the intensity of frontline work.”
The challenge for most isn’t finding things to do. It’s navigating the identity shift, financial uncertainty, and loss of daily structure that retirement brings all at once. Over 1 million physicians on Sermo are sharing real experiences on retirement, career transitions, and life after medicine. Join the community.
Addressing the most common psychological challenges of retirement as a physician
Conversations about physician retirement tend to center on savings and investment timelines, but the adjustment that catches most doctors off guard is personal, not financial. After decades of structured, high-stakes clinical work, the sudden absence of patients, colleagues, and a daily schedule can feel deeply disorienting.
A family medicine physician on Sermo put it in broader terms. “Many of us dedicate our life and soul to our profession. We spend countless hours, days, and years striving to become good doctors. But everything in life has a price, and we must understand the consequences. Retirement is simply a stage that opens new doors, one that we must learn to enjoy fully and wholeheartedly.”
Medicine tends to define the whole person in a way most professions don’t. The training is long, the stakes are constant, and the identity runs deep. Researchers have described physician retirement as a “triad of loss” involving professional identity, purpose, and meaning. A 2017 review in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that physicians who delay retirement often do so not because of finances, but because they fear they won’t feel fulfilled without their medical career.
Retirement timelines vary by specialty. Surgeons generally retire earlier due to physical demands, while psychiatrists and primary care physicians often practice well into their 70s. Sermo’s breakdown of physician retirement age by specialty covers the full picture.
When asked whether they plan to still work in some capacity after retirement, the answers of Sermo respondents skewed heavily toward staying involved:
- 41% plan to continue through teaching, volunteering, or part-time clinical work
- 16% plan to move into a non-clinical, medicine-adjacent role
- 18% want to do something completely unrelated to medicine
- 21% said they have no plans to work at all
An internal medicine physician on Sermo described what that gradual shift looks like in practice. “Being a physician is so ingrained in my way of thinking. I foresee scaling back in my patient hours to make being a PCP more sustainable and for a longer time. Retirement for me may look more like part-time doctoring than not doctoring at all.”
For those who’ve already made the leap, the early days can be rough. A GP on Sermo was honest about it. “The first few days are sad. You miss the connections with people, the routine of work. You feel unfulfilled, denatured. Then you make a virtue of necessity. There’s time to read, go out whenever you want, travel.”
Research points to a few strategies that help. Physicians who develop routines around exercise, hobbies, volunteering, or part-time consulting before they retire tend to transition more smoothly than those who stop cold. The goal isn’t to replicate a clinical schedule but to build something equally meaningful in its place.
Life beyond the clinic: Rediscovering forgotten passions after retirement
By the time most physicians are established in practice, the hobbies that existed before residency have been shelved for years, sometimes decades. Most physicians don’t abandon their outside interests on purpose. They just get slowly crowded out by a career that always demands more.
When we asked physicians on Sermo what they plan to do in retirement, the top answers centered on experiences and relationships.
- Travel (28%)
- Spend more time with family (26%)
- Pick up or rediscover a hobby (22%)
- Volunteer (14%)
- Transition to a non-clinical job (9%)
An orthopedic surgeon on Sermo shared what life looked like after 33 years of practice. “I stopped doing surgery 3 years ago, in the office only part time, so it was a gentle withdrawal. For the first time in a long time I was able to start taking care of myself. Walking the dog every day, exercising and working in the yard. Got my resting heart rate down to 56. Started dating my wife again, going for walks, out for a nice refreshing adult beverage, lunch or just for a drive.”
Some physicians use retirement to pursue things that weren’t possible during clinical practice. One physician on Sermo shared that within a month of retiring, he and his wife were in Nairobi serving a volunteer medical mission. “We traveled all across Central Africa teaching young missionaries good health principles and advising on their medical needs for 2 years. We have been home 4 months and are missing the relationships we made there.”
Others found their way back to quieter, more personal fulfillment. An OBGYN on Sermo from the UK described a career that “dashed from age 24 to 60 very fast.” After initially returning to private practice because she missed the work, her grandson’s arrival settled the question. “Decision made for my husband and me, it’s family time. And time for me to restart harmonium, read scripture. Happy happy post retirement.”
Not every passion translates neatly into retirement, though. A family medicine physician on Sermo shared a reality check. “I love to fly. I thought I would have time to do a lot of flying in retirement. What I have discovered, much to my chagrin… I have to go back to work in order to afford that particular hobby!”
One pattern that comes through both in the research and in the Sermo community is that physicians who build hobbies, interests, or community ties while they’re still working have a much smoother adjustment. Waiting until after retirement to figure out what you care about besides medicine makes an already difficult transition significantly harder. Even something small like a weekend hobby or a regular exercise routine gives you something to build on once the clinical schedule goes away.
So what do doctors do for fun after they retire? Based on what physicians are sharing on Sermo, the answer is genuinely: everything. Travel, grandkids, exercise, cooking, flying planes, medical missions, scripture, and gardening. The common thread isn’t the activity itself but the freedom to choose it.
Retired and practicing physicians on Sermo are comparing notes on what comes after clinical life. See how your peers are navigating the transition.
Stay connected to the medical community after retirement with Sermo
Retirement doesn’t have to mean disappearing from the profession. The clinical skills, institutional knowledge, and relationships built over a career don’t expire the day you stop seeing patients. When we asked physicians on Sermo how important maintaining a connection to medicine is after retirement, the results were clear:
- 30% said very important, because medicine is part of their identity
- 14% said very important, because most of their friends are in medicine
- 21% said somewhat important
- 27% want to maintain a small connection but with some separation
- Only 8% said it’s not important at all
The question for most isn’t whether to stay involved, but how. Retired physicians are finding several well-established paths back into the field.
Continued clinical work
Locum tenens positions, part-time clinic shifts, telemedicine, and medical missions all let physicians practice on their own terms. An OBGYN on Sermo described one approach. “I participate in Maven Clinic, a telemedicine portal with an emphasis on Women’s Health. I am able to do this when I am able and enjoy meeting with and helping women located around the world.” Many physicians keep their licenses active after retirement by completing continuing medical education credits through organizations like the AMA.
Non-clinical roles
Consulting for health tech companies, insurance firms, or pharmaceutical organizations is a natural fit for physicians with decades of experience, while others move into healthcare administration. A gastroenterologist on Sermo shared his path. “I’m retired and now I work in a medical institution as a supervisor.”
Education and mentoring
Teaching at medical schools, precepting residents, or mentoring younger physicians provides a way to stay intellectually engaged without the demands of full-time clinical work. For many, this is where the sense of legacy lives, and it’s one of the best volunteer opportunities for retired doctors. A family medicine physician on Sermo captured why many aren’t ready to walk away. “I just love my job. I don’t see myself stopping medicine. Obviously, there will be a point where I will have to stop my clinical practice, but I intend on teaching and volunteering in my field. I love feeling useful.”
A gastroenterologist on Sermo summed up what many retired doctors feel. “A doctor will always be a doctor, even after retirement. When that time comes, I will spend time with my family while remaining involved in medical activities and teaching.”
Sermo itself serves as one of these connection points. Retired physicians in the community stay involved in clinical discussions, share their experience with practicing doctors, and even earn supplemental income through paid medical surveys that put their expertise to work.
Prioritizing healthspan and active longevity after retirement as a physician
Physicians spend entire careers advising patients on exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management. Many don’t get around to following that advice themselves until they retire. When we asked physicians on Sermo about their biggest priorities for post-retirement life, the responses reflected a mix of health, purpose, and connection.
- Staying socially and intellectually engaged (25%)
- Financial security (23%)
- Maintaining a sense of purpose (18%)
- Refocusing on my health (18%)
- Improving family relationships (15%)
Health didn’t top the list, but everything else on it depends on it. Travel, volunteering, time with grandkids, and part-time work all require being physically and cognitively able to show up.
A pediatric neurologist on Sermo put it honestly. “It will be a huge challenge, finding and giving value. Let’s hope it’s not in too many years and we have time and health.”
The concept of “healthspan, “the number of years lived in good health rather than simply years lived, has become central to how physicians are thinking about their own post-clinical lives. Regular physical activity, consistent sleep, strong social connections, and a sense of purpose are all independently associated with better outcomes after leaving work. For a profession that spent decades putting patients first, retirement is the chance to finally apply that same rigor to your own well-being.
How to know when to retire as a physician
There’s no universal formula for when to retire, but there are financial benchmarks that make the decision more grounded and less stressful. For many physicians, the math is more complicated than it looks from the outside. Most don’t begin earning attending-level income until their early 30s, and many carry six-figure student debt well into their careers. That compresses the savings window compared to other high earners.
An urgent care physician on Sermo was candid about that pressure. “I know I’m getting closer to the end of my working days and my biggest concern is my financial stability and that of my family.”
A GP on Sermo put the timeline bluntly. “At this rate, retirement is a pipe dream. You’ll have to work until you’re 70.” Another GP shared a similar outlook. “I’ll be able to retire, with luck, in about 30 years. With a lot of luck.”
These responses aren’t outliers. A Sermo study found that only 22% of physicians feel financially prepared to retire, and 55% either don’t have retirement savings or don’t know how much they’ve saved. The financial path is harder than the profession’s reputation suggests, particularly for physicians in lower-compensated specialties or those who entered medicine later in life.
The biggest mistake retirees make across all professions is waiting too long to plan. For physicians, that means getting serious about savings, investment strategy, debt payoff, and income diversification well before the final years of practice.
A few financial milestones worth hitting before making the transition:
- Enough savings or investment income to cover annual expenses without drawing down principal
- A clear plan for healthcare coverage, especially if retiring before Medicare eligibility at 65
- Outstanding debt resolved or structured into manageable repayment
- A realistic estimate of what your retired lifestyle will cost, factoring in travel, hobbies, and part-time work income
Sermo has published detailed guides for physicians on these topics, including retirement planning and savings strategies, 401(k) options for doctors, financial planning for residents, wealth management strategies, investing advice, and side gigs that supplement retirement income. These articles serve as a great starting point for planning your retirement.
Key takeaways
- The average physician retires around age 69, but only 10% of those surveyed on Sermo are fully retired and 38% plan to work at least 20 more years.
- The psychological challenges of retirement, particularly loss of identity and purpose, are often harder to navigate than the financial ones.
- Top retirement plans include travel (28%), family time (26%), and rediscovering hobbies (22%). Building interests outside medicine before retirement leads to a smoother transition.
- 75% of physicians plan to stay involved in some form of work after retiring, and 65% rate maintaining a medical community connection as important or very important.
- Only 22% of physicians feel financially prepared to retire. Starting early with savings, investment strategy, and debt management is critical.
Retirement is the beginning of your third act
There’s no single version of a good retirement. Some physicians stay close to medicine through teaching and consulting. Others step away entirely and build a life around family, travel, and interests they never had time for. What the research and the Sermo community consistently show is that the physicians who do best planned for both the financial and the personal side of retirement well before their last day of practice. If you’re retired, nearly there, or just starting to think about what comes next, Sermo is where physicians at every stage of this transition are talking it through. Join the community to connect with peers who’ve navigated the same transition and share what you’ve learned along the way.
