Controlling the exit from work and accumulating multiple resources early predict adjustment to retirement
The traditional approach to leaving a career in medicine has been informal. The fact that about 10% of medical practitioners in Australia are aged 65 years or over1 — a seemingly natural consequence of increased life expectancy, improved quality of life and fluctuations in financial markets — highlights the need for a more methodical process for leaving medicine.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Medical practitioners workforce 2015 [Cat. No. WEB 140]. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/workforce/medical-practitioners-workforce-2015/contents/who-are-medical-practitioners (viewed Nov 2020).
- 2. Medical Board Australia. Professional Performance Framework. https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/Professional-Performance-Framework.aspx (viewed Nov 2020).
- 3. Earl JK, Muratore AM, Leung C, Yu TW. Career interventions: retirement. In: Hartung PJ, Savickas ML, Walsh WB; editors. APA handbook of career intervention. Volume 2, applications. American Psychological Association, 2015; pp 535–548.
- 4. Tsugawa Y, Newhouse JP, MacArthur JD, et al. Physician age and outcomes in elderly patients in hospital in the US: observational study. BMJ 2017; 357: 1797.
- 5. Thomas LA, Milligan E, Tibble H, et al. Health, performance and conduct concerns among older doctors: a retrospective cohort study of notifications received by medical regulators in Australia. J Patient Saf Risk Manag 2018; https://doi.org/10.1177/2516043518763181
- 6. Wijeratne C, Earl JK, Peisah C, et al. Professional and psychosocial factors affecting the intention of Australian medical practitioners. Med J Aust 2017; 206: 209–214. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2017/206/5/professional-and-psychosocial-factors-affecting-intention-retire-australian
- 7. Wijeratne C, Peisah C, Earl JK, Luscombe G. Occupational determinants of successful ageing in older physicians. Am J Geriat Psychiatry 2018; 26: 200–208.
- 8. Pannor Silver M, Hamilton AD, Biswas A, Warrick NI. A systematic review of physician retirement planning. Hum Resour Health 2016; 14: 67.
- 9. Pannor Silver M, Williams SA. Reluctance to retire: a qualitative study on work identity, intergenerational conflict and retirement in academic medicine. Gerontologist 2018; 58: 320–330.
- 10. Topa G, Moriano JA, Depolo M, et al. Antecedents and consequences of retirement planning and decision making: A meta‐analysis and model. J Vocational Behav 2009; 75: 38–55.
- 11. Wong J, Earl JK. Towards an integrated model of individual, psychosocial and organisational predictors of retirement adjustment. J Vocational Behav 2009; 75: 1–13.
- 12. Leung CSY, Earl JK. Retirement resources inventory: construction, factor structure and psychometric properties. J Vocational Behav 2012; 2: 171–182.
- 13. Climent‐Rodríguez JA, Navarro‐Abal Y, López‐López MJ, et al. Grieving for job loss and its relation to the employability of older jobseekers. Front Psychol 2019; 10: 366.
- 14. Peisah C. Successful ageing for psychiatrists. Austral Psychiatry 2016; 24: 126–130.
- 15. Jeste D. Successful aging of physicians. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2018; 26: 209–211.
- 16. Saver JL. Best practices in assessing aging physicians for professional competency. JAMA 2020; 323: 127–129.
We have received funding from the Avant Foundation to develop an online educational program for medical practitioners transitioning to retirement. The funding source has had no role in the planning or writing of this article.
No relevant disclosures.