Successful Retirement Planning for Endocrinologists

The Endocrine Society formally addressed the issue of retirement for its members for the first time in a Workshop held on June 4 at ENDO 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. Preparation for the workshop included 4 steps: (1) completion of a survey; (2) advice from a retirement expert; (3) extensive literature review; and (4) multiple pre-workshop discussions among the presenters. The survey found that retired endocrinologists are involved in a wide variety of professional and nonprofessional activities. The retirement expert and the literature review outlined several concepts underlying a successful retirement and the questions and decisions needed during the planning process. The presenters described several illustrative examples of retirement activities. A "Piece of My Mind" essay in the Journal of the American Medical Association written by the moderator (C.B.) expressed ethical considerations made feasible by the independence of her retirement status. The first presenter (A.R.) noted that the time available during retirement allowed mentorship, teaching in foreign countries and other institutions, and participation on international committees. The second speaker (K.F.) commented that expertise gained during practice of Endocrinology can be used for expert legal, pharmaceutical, and financial opinions. She also noted that volunteering for professional or nonprofessional groups provides an avenue for "giving back" to others. The final presenter (R.S.) stated that retirement provides an opportunity to embark on new clinical endeavors, such as managing patients via telemedicine in rural underserved areas. In summary, retirement is an important phase of a career and can be highly rewarding and enjoyable.