You don't need a retirement date or a clear plan to start thinking ahead. You may want to work for a few more years but reduce your hours or explore what life might look like without a full appointment book. Considering these possibilities doesn't mean deciding to stop work.
For doctors, retirement is about more than finishing clinical practice. Medicine provides purpose, routine, professional relationships and a strong sense of identity.[1] While the prospect of fewer commitments may be appealing, stepping away from these aspects of working life can be challenging.
Retirement is a process, not a single event
Retirement doesn't have to mean working full-time one week and stopping the next. In a 2021 Medical Journal of Australia article, Chanaka Wijeratne and Joanne Earl describe three phases of retirement planning and transition.[2]
Pre-retirement: Thinking ahead while continuing to work. This might involve exploring options, speaking with colleagues who have retired or considering what you want life beyond medicine to look like.
Transition: Making changes to how and when you work. This could mean reducing clinical sessions, changing responsibilities, exploring other roles or setting a retirement date.
Adaptation: Adjusting to life with less work or no clinical practice. This might involve spending more time with family and friends, pursuing personal interests or maintaining a connection to medicine through teaching or mentoring.
These phases aren't necessarily linear and there is no fixed timetable. You can enjoy your work and still want less of it. Planning ahead gives you time to explore your options.
Why planning can be difficult
In an Australian survey of 1,048 practising doctors aged 55 or older, 38% had no intention of retiring or were undecided.[3]
There are many reasons doctors delay thinking about retirement. Financial commitments, responsibility for patients, limited interests outside medicine and uncertainty about life after work can all play a part.[2]
You may enjoy clinical work but want fewer commitments. You might be concerned about who will care for your patients or wonder how you will fill your time without the structure of work. There may also be different expectations within your family about what retirement will look like.
These are all considerations worth exploring. You don't need to have the answers before you start planning.
Start by considering what matters to you
Rather than asking yourself when you should retire, it may be more useful to consider what you would like more or less of in the years ahead.
Some questions to get you thinking:
What aspects of my work would I like to continue and what would I be happy to leave behind?
What interests, activities and relationships would I like to spend more time on?
What would a satisfying week look like without the structure of regular clinical work?
Could I reduce my hours, change roles or maintain a connection to medicine in a different way?
Who could help me explore my options and plan for the future?
There is no single right approach. Some doctors gradually reduce their clinical commitments while others move into teaching, mentoring or different roles before retiring completely. The important thing is to consider what will work for you.
Take a small step towards planning
Wijeratne and Earl recommend developing a transition-to-retirement plan by age 55 at the latest and reviewing it regularly.[2] Planning should extend beyond finances to include physical health, relationships, social connections and personal interests.
A practical exercise: Spend 10 minutes considering three things:
Keep: What would I like to maintain in my working and personal life?
Change: What would I like to do differently?
Try: What new interests, activities or opportunities would I like to explore?
You don't need to make any decisions. The aim is simply to start thinking about what matters to you and what your next stage of life might look like.
Start the conversation
You don't need a retirement date or a plan to book AMA Victoria's 15-minute Retirement Ready Chat.
This free member benefit provides an opportunity to talk through your thinking, explore your options and identify resources or support that may help you plan for the future.
Whether retirement is approaching or still several years away, it's never too early to start the conversation.
References
[1] Brower KJ, Litt IF, Shanafelt TD. Retirement: Fostering Physician Well-being Over the Career Life Cycle. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2026;101(1):179–186. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2025.05.027.
[2] Wijeratne C, Earl J. A guide for medical practitioners transitioning to an encore career or retirement. Medical Journal of Australia. 2021;214(1):12–14.e1. doi:10.5694/mja2.50870.
[3] Wijeratne C, Earl JK, Peisah C, Luscombe GM, Tibbertsma J. Professional and psychosocial factors affecting the intention to retire of Australian medical practitioners. Medical Journal of Australia. 2017;206(5):209–214. doi:10.5694/mja16.00883.