The challenge of developing career pathways for senior academic pediatricians

Physicians are living longer and are healthier than in previous times. The opportunity to use their experience, expertise, and wisdom after what would be "normal" retirement age needs to be explored. The object of this study was to survey senior academic pediatricians and pediatric department chairs to define the present status of pediatricians who are in academic settings and are older than 65 y, to explore the options that are open to pediatricians who are older than 65 y for continuing to use their skills, and to increase the awareness of the unused potential that exists among senior pediatricians. Structured questionnaires were sent to the 1444 members of the American Pediatric Society (APS) and to the 148 pediatric department chairs of the medical schools in the United States and Canada to identify current practices concerning retirement and utilization of senior pediatricians. Thirty-five percent of APS members and 40% of chairs of pediatrics responded. The responding APS members were interested in exploring avenues to continue to use the skills that they had developed. The responding pediatric chairs reported that they were constrained from supporting their senior faculty members by institutional pressures for space, salary monies, and the need to recruit new faculty members. However, they recognized the value of senior pediatricians. The skills and expertise of senior pediatricians (and probably other physicians) are often not used after the usual age of "retirement." New programs and pathways need to be developed not only to use the resource of these skills but also to enhance the health and sense of satisfaction of senior pediatricians.