When the White Coat Comes Off: A Physician’s Guide to Identity and Purpose in Retirement
I’ve spent much of my career helping others navigate life transitions. I’ve seen executives redefining their path, individuals facing all varieties of uncertainty, and organizations managing change. But it wasn’t until I began approaching my own transition into retirement that I fully understood the weight of this question:
What happens to our identity when we step away from the work that has defined us for decades?
For physicians, that question can be especially complicated.
For those familiar with the Retire Artfully origin story, you may already know the impact that this particular struggle had in my personal life. My own father thrived as a surgeon, but ruminated so long on how his life would have meaning after the coat came off, that he had precious little time to enjoy retirement.
Medicine is more than a job. It’s a vocation. A calling. And often a life-long commitment. If you are a physician of retirement age, your name and your title have likely been paired together for so long that it’s hard to imagine who you would be without that credential. I’ve spoken with many doctors at this crossroads. They often feel torn, not because they’re financially unprepared, but because they feel emotionally unprepared.
The emotional concerns come in many varieties. Add all the personal life changes to the concern for patients and practices, and you’ve got the building blocks for reasons to avoid or postpone an inevitability of what has the potential to be a period of great joy.
Why This Transition Matters—To You and Your Community
If you are a physician that has been hesitating to begin your own retirement planning, that’s understandable. The emotional burden of leaving your practice and your patients can feel enormous. A recent article in the North Carolina Medical Journal cited that approximately 30% of practicing North Carolina physicians are over age 60, and that number is rising as the average age of North Carolinians rise. The implications for patients, and other health care systems when a doctor retires can be significant. But delaying these conversations doesn’t serve anyone. In fact, early and thoughtful planning is one of the best ways to protect what you’ve built and ensure your community continues to be cared for.
What the Research Shows
There have been a few notable studies of physicians and their retirement transition.
One study found that physicians often experience a significant loss of identity and meaning after retirement, especially when they haven’t cultivated purpose outside of their profession.
Another review in The Gerontologist showed that physicians who planned ahead and transitioned out of clinical care in a phase called “Redirection” experienced higher rates of satisfaction. The fundamental approach recommended in this study is a foundational part of the Retire Artfully process.
In short: retirement isn’t something to be avoided. It’s something to be designed.
How I’ve Seen This Work Best
Let me share a few insights I’ve learned working with high-achieving professionals and navigating my own evolution:
1. Start Planning Sooner Than Feels Comfortable
In other words, start before you’re ready. Retirement is a process, not an event. The sooner you start asking hard questions like
Who will care for my patients?
What will I do with my time? And
What will give me purpose?
the more empowered you’ll feel when it’s time to act.
If you’re in private practice or in a rural area, early planning is essential. Identifying a successor, transferring records, preparing staff, and communicating with patients takes time. And it’s worth doing well.
2. Give Yourself Something to Move Forward WITH
One of the biggest emotional pitfalls I’ve seen is when someone retires from a career without retiring with something. You don’t need a second career lined up, but you do need a plan that offers meaning, structure, and connection.
Many retired physicians find purpose in mentoring, teaching, consulting, or volunteering. Others rediscover creative or personal passions that were sidelined for years. Don’t wait until your last shift to start exploring what brings you joy. Start figuring out now what you want to retire with.
3. Maintain a Connection to Your Physician Identity
Retirement doesn’t mean you have to let go of your identity as a doctor. For many, staying involved in an advisory capacity, volunteering with health organizations, or mentoring younger physicians provides a meaningful way to keep that connection alive.
These roles offer the best of both worlds: you can contribute your wisdom and experience without the full demands of practice. This continuity can ease the emotional transition and help you maintain a sense of purpose and community.
4. Don’t Minimize the Emotional Shift
You’ve likely helped hundreds (maybe even thousands) of people process grief, transition, or uncertainty. Now it’s your turn.
You might feel guilt. You might feel relief. You might even feel a little lost. All of that is normal. Talking with a coach, therapist, or other physicians who’ve made this shift can be a helpful step in making peace with the change.
5. Celebrate Your Legacy
You’ve made an impact on individual lives and entire communities. Don’t let your retirement pass quietly. Write a letter to your patients. Host a small celebration. If so inclined, grieve your transition too. Leave a story behind for your colleagues or mentees. You’ve earned a meaningful sendoff.
Retirement Isn’t the End of the Story
At Retire Artfully, we believe that retirement is not the end of your professional story. It’s the beginning of your personal evolution. It’s about reimagining your life through a new lens, shaped by your values, your experiences, and your future goals.
The white coat may come off, but the care, wisdom, and purpose it represents, that still remains.
Let’s create a retirement plan that honors your legacy, protects your patients, and helps you look forward to what’s next.
You’ve given so much to others. Now it’s time to design what comes next.