Are you ready for your second shift? Reflections on the physician retirement transition—identity, purpose, and what comes next

I recently wrote an article on Doximity.com about what I felt after the death of one of my medical school classmates.  He died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at the age of 58. 

It forced me to pause and reflect on what is truly matters, starting with meaningful relationships, especially with those closest to us.  It was a stark reminder that despite our best planning, life does not always unfold that way we expect.

 When that happens, we have the choice: succumb to our circumstances or pivot and rise above.  Often, great opportunity is born from life’s most difficult challenges.

Anyway, the article generated a lot of comments from the physician readers of that site.  Here are some of the themes that emerged:

• Life is unpredictable.  Make the most of your time now.  

• Retirement isn’t always easy.  Many struggle to find purpose—and some decided to go back to work.

• You will be replaced at work faster than you expect.  You can never be replaced at home.  Don’t let work become an oversized priority. 

• Luck and genetics matter more than we like to admit. Lifestyle is important--but it isn’t everything.

• Gratitude matters.  Live each day to the fullest.

• Teaching and mentorship can bring deep fulfillment in later years. 

• Physicians often struggle to follow their own advice on health and prevention. 

• You can always make more money. You can’t manufacture more time.

• Retire into something—not just away from something.

  
  

I started my own transition from medicine about 4 years ago.  I have written several articles about how that process was for me and most recently how it felt to walk through those emergency department doors for the last time as a clinician. 

It has been instructive to speak to colleagues and others who have learned about my path out of medicine and into a second career at this later stage in my working life.  Many of those discussions were related to their own contemplations about retirement or a similar path to a second career.  Through those conversations, I realized that most of us share common anxieties and aspirations related to this transition.  I also realized that we don’t talk about it enough.   

I think it is easy to assume that life’s stages are set.  You go to school and gain your education.  You go through advanced training.  You get a job and develop in your career.  Somewhere in there you forge a relationship which may lead to marriage and children. You earn enough money to retire.  You walk out of the door and enjoy retirement. 

Well, obviously, it is not that simple or straightforward or maybe even desirable for everyone.  For many physicians, this transition is not just financial—it’s deeply personal. It’s an identity shift. You go from being the person others depend on in critical moments to one whose biggest decision in a given day might just be what you have for lunch.   

Who will I be when I am no longer working as a doctor?   What is my role now?

On top of that existential layer, there are plenty of practical challenges. Are your finances in the condition for you to still thrive without a steady income?  Are your relationships in a place that can now absorb so much extra time together?  If not, what does that look like for each of you?  Or even more simply, how are you going to fill your days? 

There are so many things to unpack in the retirement transition for physicians—maybe more so than in any other phase.  I enjoyed talking about it with others and hearing about their experiences and thoughts on the subject. 

That reflection became the seed for a new idea: a podcast called The Second Shift.  When I shared the idea with my colleague at Targeted Wealth Solutions, Aaron Milledge—a former fighter pilot who made his own second shift into the civilian world as a financial planner—he immediately connected with the concept and was excited to build it together.  

On the show, we talk with people who have successfully navigated major life transitions—learning from both their mistakes and their successes. If you are thinking about retirement, a career pivot, or simply what comes next, this podcast is for you.

In some near-future episodes, Aaron and I will break down what we call the Second Shift Blueprint: 5 essential questions to discuss with your partner before making a major life change.  If you are ready to start working through your next chapter, you can download the Second Shift Blueprint™ now. We’re currently building out the next step of this process. If you’d like to be notified when we open up strategy sessions, you can subscribe here and we'll notify you when we are ready.

You can watch the latest episode of the podcast on my website here, along with links to listen on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify—wherever you prefer to tune in.

If it resonates with you, please share it with someone else who might need it. 

And if you have questions or topics you’d like us to explore, we’d love to hear from you. 

Thanks for being part of the journey—and happy second shifting.