Why Do General Surgeons Decide to Retire?: A Population-level Survey.

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Surgical practice
• Geriatric medicine

Background:

• Limited recent data available on retirement intentions for general surgeons.
• Understanding surgeons' retirement timelines is crucial for workforce planning and knowledge transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the intended age and influencing factors for general surgeons ceasing operative procedures.
• To determine the planned age and motivations for general surgeons retiring from all clinical work.

Main Methods:

• A paper-based survey was administered to practicing general surgeons in Ontario, Canada.
• A systematically developed questionnaire assessed retirement plans and influencing factors.
• Response rate was 33.5% (242/723).

Main Results:

• Median age for stopping operative procedures was 65; median age for retiring from all clinical work was 70.
• Key factors for continuing to operate included career satisfaction (97%), sense of identity (90%), and financial need (69%).
• Younger surgeons (36-50) were less likely to operate past 65; academic surgeons were more likely to continue operating past 65.

Conclusions:

• General surgeons typically plan to cease operating at 65 and retire at 70.
• Career satisfaction, professional identity, and financial considerations significantly influence surgeons' decisions to continue working.
• Younger and non-academic surgeons anticipate earlier retirement from operative practice.