Would your surgeons retire if they could?
By Stephen W. Earnhart, MS
CEO
Earnhart & Associates
Austin, TX
This column is inspired by the May 9, 2007, article in the Association of American Medical College (AAMC) publication that says one-third of doctors over age 50 would retire if they could.
Surgeons have shared their thoughts with me over the years. Long before the AAMC article, I had started getting resumes from surgeons who were "just looking." They were "testing the waters" to see what else was out there for them. My company just hired our first surgery center administrator who is a retiring general surgeon.
For the past several weeks I did some calling around. While admittedly unscientific, I spoke with several surgeons across the country about their views on their career path. I would have to guess that most, if not all, of them are in their 50s and beyond. Here are my questions and their replies:
- If you had it to do all over again, would you choose surgery as a career? Yes, 60%. No, 20%. Not sure, 20%.
- If you knew what you know now, would you choose surgery as a career? Yes, 25%. No, 45%. Probably, 30%.
- If you could afford to retire right now, would you? Yes, 70%. Emphatic yes, 10%. No, 20%.
- Why would you retire? Health care is way too regulated/too much red tape, 40%. Just not fun anymore, 30%. Burned out/tired, 15%. Health reasons, 10%. Not sure, 5%.
- What would you do if you retired but still needed to earn an income? Become a consultant like you, 40%. Run a surgery center, 25%. Work in medical research, 10%. Work for an attorney, 10%. Work with pharmaceutical firm, 10%. Work in real estate, 5%.
- Would you invest the same effort in your new career path as you did surgery? No, 60%. Yes, 20%. Depends, 20%.
- What do you feel you gave up to be a surgeon? Family life, 50%. Travel, 30%. Sports/leisure time, 15%. Too much, 5%.
- What gives you the greatest pleasure as a surgeon? Positive results for patient, 60%. Positive interaction with staff/facility, 30%. Respect from staff and family members, 15%. Other, 5%.
- What industry would you choose if you could not be in health care? Computer (software), 40%. Real estate, 40%. Professional sports, 10%. Other, 10%.
How would you answer the same questions and how does it help you deal with the surgeons? For me, it continues to personalize a surgeon which in turn makes them easier to identify with. From a practical standpoint, learn more about "succession planning," and never stop marketing for new surgeons.
(Earnhart & Associates is an ambulatory surgery consulting firm specializing in all aspects of surgery center development and management. Contact Earnhart at 1000 Westbank Drive, Suite 5B, Austin, TX 78746. E-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.earnhart.com.)
This column is inspired by the May 9, 2007, article in the Association of American Medical College (AAMC) publication that says one-third of doctors over age 50 would retire if they could.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content