Retirement for MDs: I married him for life not for lunch

I am 74 with 48 years notched on my otoscope. I semiretired last year. Not good timing as we were knee deep in a pandemic you might have heard about. I had to though—because of contractual obligations. I found it tough. I had had my life planned out for me since kindergarten, 69 years ago. I was bored a lot. I tried all the suggested stuff to avoid annoying my wife by organizing her kitchen. I still looked after my two nursing homes—which I love—but that accounted for nine hours a week rounding. I volunteered for phone mentoring for ten different family docs individually. I really loved that—but that was only 10 hours a week. Still 21 hours to go. I couldn’t do my five one-hour swims at the YM/YWCA every weekday morning which I love and kept me in shape until COVID restrictions were lifted last month. I swam at the cottage but Canadian waters are cold between mid-September and mid-July. Read: Threat to penalize Quebec FPs will only lead to worsening morale I had fun with my seven-year-old grandson Max playing soccer, swimming, fishing, playing golf, tennis and board games. Also in winter road hockey and sledding. He is getting better and I am getting older so our skill sets should cross in another year. I can still tackle him when he gets a breakaway in soccer. “Poppa you are cheating.” I also ride my bike while the weather is good and cross country and downhill ski when it is not. I have read a lot, branching out from murder mysteries to the American Civil War and biographies. Like the rest of Canada, I have Netflixed until my eyes turned square. I have had Zoom calls with old friends, families and classmates. It is nice to reconnect after 50 years with some classmates. It’s funny how they all turned out the way I thought they would. I am writing a lot for the Medical Post too plus I just finished a new book Crazy Busy Doctors. I gave COVID-19 shots too and that was very rewarding. The people were so thankful. I loved asking the old men if they could be pregnant; a real ice breaker. I went through my 37,000 paper pictures in the attic and 37,000 digital ones in my computer. That was really fun and touching and nostalgic. I took pictures of pictures of my kids when they were young and emailed them to them until they blocked me. This winter I am going to put them all in albums. I cleaned the garage, basement and attic out and spread out everything so my wife could come and point to what I could donate to charity or trash. Very satisfying. I painted the cottage deck, furniture and house windows, the only skill I have. Other doctors I know, how they semi-retired or retired One family doctor retired at age 70, five years ago and loves it. He says that every day he wakes up and he can do anything or nothing and is never bored. He retired to his summer cottage and winterized it. Another keeps busy with biking and skiing and grandkids. A surgeon I know had a failed retirement. At age 70 he went to surgical assisting but still wanted to be boss. He did a six-month locum but the on-call was brutal, operating until 5 a.m. after a full day so he finally fully retired at age 75. Other options for a gentle glide path into retirement Assist at surgery: Plusses: money, no paperwork, the patient is asleep, the surgeon has to talk to the family, you get to chat with other doctors and nurses. Minuses: Get to chat with other doctors, stand a lot, can’t scratch your nose. Also grumpy surgeons. I know two doctors who are still assisting at surgery at age 88! One’s wife said to me, “I married him for life but not for lunch.” Locums: Advantages are: money, something to do, not responsible for long-term problems like opioid renewals and extended time off work notes. Disadvantages are different computer and office systems. You don’t know the patient (also to be found under advantages). Work in walk ins (aka Amoxil distribution centres): You can ask to do just four hour shifts per day. Advantages: money, interesting new people. Disadvantages: interesting new people, a lot of patients want antibiotics for their viral colds. Drug seekers. Work in disadvantaged areas in Canada and worldwide: A friend and classmate Dr. Angus Maciver is a general surgeon from Saint Marys, Ont. (near Stratford), who goes up to the Arctic to spell off surgeons there. He really helps out and enjoys it. It started as a medical residency in Moose Factory 48 years ago when he was bitten by the North. In the last 15 years he has worked in Inuvik, Yellowknife, Iqaluit, Moose Factory and Sioux Lookout, doing locums of two to four weeks at a time, for up to 20 weeks per year, with cooperative partners back home, professional as well as matrimonial, although his wife has travelled several times to experience the North as well. A broad skill set is sometimes necessary to deal with ob/gyn emergencies as well as some ortho and plastics. He says that even something as simple as doing a 15 minute carpal tunnel under local in Rankin Inlet can save a patient a lot of time and trouble with repeated trips, with escorts, and babysitting issues at home. It is a great opportunity to “give back” for the comfortable life we have received. Although an expanded skill set is an asset, several opportunities for surgeons and FP’s with narrower scopes of practice exist across the country, where specialty backup is available in the community or close at hand. A tough role for physicians is to try not to bother their spouses who have been looking after the house for 45 years or more . You can’t use the good towels and you have to put the throw pillows back on the bed for I don’t know what purpose. Money As we know, but the public doesn’t, we do not have any pensions. We have all the drawbacks of working for the government and none of the perks. The Canada Pension Plan is $1,000 per month and you don’t qualify for old age security if you make more the $60,000 per year. This does not go far especially, for a couple. You also might live 30 years. People also don’t realize that retirement homes are brutally expensive. For example $5,000 to $10,000 per month or $120,000 per year. With interest rates low it is easy to go through RRSP’s quickly. Luckily our homes are worth a lot and are the only things the government has not taxed yet. I advise new doctors to get a good financial planner by asking a financially successful older physician for a recommendation. Or ask your accountant or banker. It is tough to put away for retirement for young doctors who are coming out of residency with huge debts and trying to buy a million dollar doghouse. I recommend they start right away with putting money into a pension plan or RRSP or incorporating after talking to a profession advisor. How have you retired or not? Email me at drjohncrosby@rogers.com Also ask me for my new free ebook Crazy Busy Doctor.

Retirement for MDs: I married him for life not for lunch

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JohnWyatt Crosby