By Jon R. Kattenhorn ’74

Published in the ALUMNI JOURNAL spring 2023

When it comes to retirement, one of the most common questions that either is asked or lurks in the back of our minds is, when should I retire? There are many variations on that same theme: How will I know it is time to retire? Is it safe or practical to retire now? What is the benefit of working a few more years?

So many questions and I can assure you that nearly everyone will have a different answer! Our lives have been full and even though we have family, friends, and activities, we must at some point admit that our work has been the most significant filler of our time and our lives. How do we know when to put that aside and redirect our priorities?

While contemplating these questions, I have taken the opportunity to talk with a couple of my colleagues, Robert A. Hardesty ’78-A, plastic surgeon, contemplating retirement and James J. Couperus ’67, internal medicine, fully retired. While talking with these colleagues, one issue almost always floats to the top.

To quote Dr. Hardesty, “Am I still performing at my highest level?” We all know our work has always demanded perfection, precision, clear thinking, and responsibility, to name a few. Am I still able to provide that to my patients? Some issues will be technical, like surgery, others might be decision-making. Are we able to keep up and remain current?

When we started practicing medicine, we all had some goals. For some, to build a successful practice, maybe a clinic with your name on it. Maybe some of those goals were service-oriented, like so many mission trips. Clearly, we all wanted to be financially successful and secure, live well, educate our kids, etc. At some point we must ask, have I accomplished my goals? And if so, it may be time to at least pause and consider that we don’t have to push so hard anymore.

For some, when the age to retire is still in question, working part time can be a way to ease into that life change. Dr. Couperus fully retired at age 75, after a few years of trying to be part-time. In retrospect, he wished that he had fully retired rather than trying to work part-time.

Another way to figure out the right time is to ask ourselves if we enjoy what we are doing. Do we get the same satisfaction from our work that we used to? Dr. Couperus said he did not specifically pick an age but gradually realized he was doing more “moping than coping.”

Many think the only criteria for retirement is one’s financial situation. When you talk to a financial advisor, they will share a projected retirement age. We cannot ignore the importance of being financially solvent and secure; however, we will not completely overhaul our finances during the last few years of our careers. This aspect should be considered early in one’s career.

So back to the question of when to retire. Those that have already retired may tell you they wished they had quit sooner or maybe worked longer. There is no magic answer, but there are good questions to help us get there: Do I still love what I am doing? Am I still good at it? If I quit, what would I miss the most? If I quit, what will I do with my time and my life?

Apparently, there is no perfect age for retirement. We all know folks who quit at 55 and others still working in their 80s! Each of us must decide the time to put the daily practice of medicine behind us and explore and enjoy our retirement years. But it is never too early to plan for our future retirement years, even if we don’t know exactly when that will happen!