MDNews - Greater Boston

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + +++ +PhySICIAN lIFE BAlANCE +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ready, Set, an estimated 14% of u.s. physicians are planning to retire in the neXt fiVe years. these physicians face an often-VeXing Question: what will i do with my time? WE All hAve grAnd ideas about what r e t i r e m e nt i s like, but many people are surprised to find all that extra time disorienting — even disappointing. Physicians, it seems, are particularly vulnerable to the double-edged sword of retirement. "For many physicians, medicine is their lives," says Shelly Liss, M.D., founder and former president of the Harris County Medical Society's Retired Physicians Organization in Houston, TX. "When that disappears, they're not just retiring from their profession — they're losing the primary activity that gets them up in the morning." new identities The question of how to fill one's time often leads to more profound self-revelations about what drives a person's sense of meaning and fulfillment. For example, physicians who enjoyed playing golf to blow off steam while they were working full time may find the activity less satisfying in retirement. Some physicians also struggle to define achievement outside of a growing bank account. The key, says Dr. Liss, is to develop a new identity based on activities that are others-focused or meaningful on a deeper level, such as volunteering 12 | Greater Boston MD News ■ MdneWS.coM at a free medical clinic, participating in charity work or joining community service projects. Many physicians also find fulfillment in traveling and memoir writing. If you're heading into retirement, here are a few tips to keep in mind: + Evaluate which of your current hobbies are true passions and which are simply de-stressors. + If you enjoy traveling, make sure your retirement budget allows for travel expenses. + Find a charitable or community-oriented organization now and get involved before you retire. Staying connected Retiring physicians should also consider how much involvement they would like to maintain in the medical profession. If you plan to keep your medical license, you can engage in part-time work as a hospitalist or telemedicine physician. Other physicians may remain involved in the field through health care consulting or undergraduate teaching in health sciences. Joining local groups like the Retired Physicians Organization or national groups such as the American Medical Association's Senior Physicians Section can help you stay connected to the medical d epr es sio n af ter doc to ri n g When the retired Physicians organization formed in the 1990s, shelly Liss, M.d., founder and former president of the organization, says many members confided in him that they had experienced mood changes or even outright depression early in retirement. intrigued by this, dr. Liss conducted a survey of all retired members of the harris County Medical society, the largest county medical society in the United states. responses revealed that a surprising 27% of physicians felt some degree of depression or dysphoria after retiring. dr. Liss recommends physicians identify rewarding activities in which they can engage and have an honest picture of what retirement will look like to forge a positive path into life after doctoring. field through lectures and seminars, social events, volunteer and committee advisory opportunities, group travel programs, and newsletters. "Simply being able to interact with other physicians — respecting them and being respected by them — can be very rewarding," Dr. Liss says. ■

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