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Radiologists who retired early: any stories?
Do you know any radiologists who retired early?
Would be interested in hearing stories.
The money is still good in our field, so its hard to walk away.
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55 Replies
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Don’t know anyone who retired unusually early. I do know a number of people who switched to things like ‘66% no nights’ or ‘1 in x’ schedules once the kids were grown and they had a financial position that allowed them to do this.
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I did. BTW I occasionally post here but under a different name. I am using this name to hopefully avoid outing myself.
I did, in my 40s. It lasted a short time and then I went back but very part time. In my case I have very young children so I couldn’t really travel the way I wanted and had all the associated restrictions, so this was a way to keep a foot in the door, keep current and not become entirely obsolete in medicine.
Do you have any specific questions?
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Quote from LKT
Do you know any radiologists who retired early?
Would be interested in hearing stories.
The money is still good in our field, so its hard to walk away.
what are you wondering about? I know people who worked as long as physically able (one into his early 90’s) b/c they enjoyed it and found it rewarding and meaningful long after the pay lost meaning for them. I even know people who worked part time in academic centers for free after retiring, for the same reasons.
I also know people who hated it from day one and “retired” early, to do something else. One person who retired as soon as the money made sense (early 40’s– no kids, careful with money, and an MD spouse who loves her job) and never looked back. One who retired, got bored, and took a part time tele job in their specialty, which seems like a win-win for someone who doesn’t need a full-time income.
So, again, every possible course has probably been pursued, and worked for some and not for others. What are you specifically curious about?-
I retired for 6 months in 2012 largely because of dealing with administravie garbage and hospital meetings (which are frickin useless waste of life and uncompensated)
Then I realized I missed doing radiology and above all procedural rads
So i did some locums for a year or 2
now I got steady gig 12 days a month and I really enjoy my life and lifestyle
Im 56 now and I honestly can see myself doing this as long as Im able and they will still have me-
LOL, I will never retire from my current gig. If it blows up for some other reason not in my control, I will go to WFH Telerad.
Seriously, Rads one of the best gigs out there and it may not be there like this forever (AI threat?). Def best gig in medicine by far.
I can’t see myself voluntarily giving up this gig.-
Honestly, if you can’t be happy as a Rad there is probably something wrong with you. It probably just means you are working too hard. You can cut back and still make top 1% money.-
Honestly, if you can’t be happy as a Rad there is probably something wrong with you.
50% burnout rate in surveys for radiologists.
Its just a job. Youre trading your time for money like every other worker. Some may not want to do that anymore.
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A really good job imo.-
Rads offers great part-time opportunities and WFH opportunities.-
Rads offer flexibility but its still a job. Few would do it for free.
I can think of 1000 better things to do than to stare at a monitor for hours on end and read cases non stop.
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Yeah you have a point.
It is like male porn stars…. in theory these guys should be pretty happy but a lot of them end up offing themselves..
The mental side of life is often unpredictable.-
Radiology provides some mental stimulation that is pleasurable and needed in small quantities; and using one’s skills in a healthcare setting provides some sense of usefulness as a highly-trained professional. Some of us have side businesses or other organized activities outside of work that also address these human needs that we have greater passion for than radiology. But for many, radiology is the main thing they do that is high-level stimulating and provides some sense of purpose. It makes sense that someone who doesn’t need the money would miss being a radiologist sometimes, e.g. a day or two week. For me, breast imaging provides a much richer experience as a physician than banging out cross-sectional imaging reports from home. But even breast imaging fails to provide a creative / aesthetic outlet. I have a side business that involves some graphic design, some merchandise, some lesson planning, some leadership, leading expeditions, coordinating with other teachers and speakers, doing some accounting on the finance side. It provides a lot that I feel is missing. I still work a lot because I need the money, but I def know what I will be doing when I pull back my radiology hours more.
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interesting. All my side activities would be classified as leisure.
I have no side activities are I would do full time if I quit Rads.
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Quote from Drrad123
50% burnout rate in surveys for radiologists.
Its just a job. Youre trading your time for money like every other worker. Some may not want to do that anymore.
For some it is just a job, for many it’s more. I don’t give much credit to all those ‘burnout’ stats, I know I click on ‘do you plan to retire’ on every medical license renewal.
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I quit full time to retire. I got bored in 6 months and actually missed working as a rad and went back part time. I am now part time. I love radiology and cannot do anything else. The whole FIRE thing is BS if you happen to love your field. It is great if you hate your work or any work for that matter.
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Quote from RADD2010
I quit full time to retire. I got bored in 6 months and actually missed working as a rad and went back part time. I am now part time. I love radiology and cannot do anything else. The whole FIRE thing is BS if you happen to love your field. It is great if you hate your work or any work for that matter.
Of the rads in our group that went from full time to retired overnight in the last 10-15 years [i]only one[/i] actually stayed retired. He has a small ranch outside of Santa Fe somewhere.
Everyone else has come back to do some level of part time/ ad hoc work for a couple years before finally pulling the plug.
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You have to know how to build wealth and live below your means to retire early. I think many rads are 0/2 in those categories.
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Quote from Drrad123
You have to know how to build wealth and live below your means to retire early. I think many rads are 0/2 in those categories.
Honestly, I don’t think the decision to come to part-time work was primarily financial for these rads.
Just something to do and keep the mind sharp. Sure, the extra money is nice, but I don’t think these were people who had a “holy crap! I don’t have enough money to live… better get my job back!’ moment. -
What I mean Dergon is that there are few retire early rad stories. This is partially because of rads lack of knowledge on how to build wealth and live below means.
Its also real hard to give up great money as of now. A part time/half time job can provide income yearly equivalent to a 5 mil+ portfolio (4% rule).
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Quote from Drrad123
You have to know how to build wealth and live below your means to retire early. I think many rads are 0/2 in those categories.
I would add a third category, something to retire to. Most of the rads I’ve worked with have no real hobbies or passions in life.
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Quote from trailrun
I would add a third category, something to retire to. Most of the rads I’ve worked with have no real hobbies or passions in life.
It’s funny. As I get closer closer to it I find a couple of the big ideas I had for my retirement are falling away.
For years I thought I wanted to do extended liveaboard sailing. But I found through experience that I like 5-10 days on the boat, but not much more than that.
I also thought that managing my property in northern Ontario would take up a lot more time than it does and that I would want to perhaps live up there months at a time. A few weeks at a crack seems to be my sweet spot and I can easily get done what needs to get done.
I like to get a week here and there overseas just doing tourist stuff. I like a ski holiday.
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So now I’m looking at a life more built around extended vacations doing different sundry activities for a week or two or three at a time rather than a “new life in retirement.”
When I get back home to Cleveland I don’t see much reason *not* to work.
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That’s the great thing about radiology, going part time is super easy. Not many fields in medicine where it is possible, and even fewer where it is still lucrative.
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^^ radiology is lucrative because we do a lot of non stop work for many hours on end, often in understaffed shifts. At some point you get tired of this.
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Read Die with Zero by Bill Perkins. It will change how you think about life and money.
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I stopped nights and weekends for 10 years and retired at 64. Left money on the table not doing nights and weekends for 10 years, but it was worth it for me. I couldve retired earlier, but decided that I didnt want to give up radiology because I liked it.
Only miss the cognitive stimulation and working around smart people. Not enough to go back. Dont miss the politics, volume stress, and medical legal threat. -
I stopped nights and weekends for 10 years before I retired at 64. Left money on the table not doing nights and weekends for 10 years, but it was worth it for me. I couldve retired earlier, but decided that I didnt want to give up radiology because I liked it. Its money or your life.
I only miss the cognitive stimulation and working around smart people. Not enough to go back. Dont miss the politics, volume stress, and medical legal threat. -
ditto, “Die With Zero” is one of the most influential books I’ve read in years, maybe ever.
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Quote from Drrad123
^^ radiology is lucrative because we do a lot of non stop work for many hours on end, often in understaffed shifts. At some point you get tired of this.
I’ve been thinking about this for past few months. For me, there is certainly growing dissatisfaction, and I’m only 10 years out. Current group’s volume requirements and income are solid. We have a sufficient amount of time off and do well per wRVU. There are certainly times when I feel extremely fortunate to have this type of career with its stability and income but this seems to be more and more fleeting…I think some of my dissatisfaction is the result of the increasing isolation-including working from home, which has been exacerbated by cut-back in analog social activities since Covid… Also there is something physiologically unhealthy about long hours of high-intensity cognitive screen work in a dark room with little to no analog human contact. Each of us probably can tolerate this to varying degrees…I try to balance all this out with alternating between sit/stand, being mindful of my posture (eg. avoid shoulder to ears), exercise (cardio, weight training, and stretching), meditation/breath-work, and walks/hikes in nature. Still not feeling like this is sustainable for next 15-20 years. Non-rads would think I am an ungrateful lunatic to be dissatisfied making this much $ with so much vacation, without a real “boss”, while having the ability to work from home in my boxers but I think most of you get it. -
Dont kid yourself. Other docs are burned out too. Hospitals that employ their clinicians are tying comp to asinine metrics that are difficult to achieve to get 100% of what you bring in. Smart move because those that can achieve the metrics dont care to complain and the 40% that dont achieve it, only a small percentage of them feel like they can speak out. So these clinicians have to spend more time charting and asking patients questions that arent relevant to the care at hand. Either way they are doing more work for less money. And not many clinicians are private practice model. In PE employed clinician practices, Im sure its even worse. And radiology isnt even the worst shortage in the physician landscape. So everyone is feeling the burn. Other clinicians think we have it easy, but of course we dont. Being 100% engaged with only pee breaks and 5 minutes to scarf down some food does take its toll over time. The boomers dont know what it feels like to work your entire career this way so time will tell how rads fare in this assembly line, robotic work environment. Where is boomer? Im sure he can tell you how rads used to take actual lunch breaks. Heck Ive heard stories about how most of the onsite group would go out for lunch and leave only one person at the hospital while they took a leisurely 1.5 hour lunch. Nobody can afford to take even half hour for lunch because studies arent going to read themselves and it inevitably adds time to your workday.
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Right there with you Jd4540
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I also find WFH Rads fairly isolating. But small trade off imo since Im not a big people person.
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I mean if always WFH yeah thats isolating. But lets say 20% WFH- thats refreshing and a change of pace. I get more done when WFH because I minimize distractions at home. If you have heathens for kids, a hot trophy stay at home wife or a sexy French au pair distracting you, perhaps less productive. My kids know to leave me alone if Im working. Otherwise, there go their ipad privileges or ice cream.
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This is great Dergon. I have similar plans through the year, but no boat or Ontario house. I travel a lotand agree with life built around extended vacations.
Quote from dergon
Quote from trailrun
I would add a third category, something to retire to. Most of the rads I’ve worked with have no real hobbies or passions in life.
It’s funny. As I get closer closer to it I find a couple of the big ideas I had for my retirement are falling away.
For years I thought I wanted to do extended liveaboard sailing. But I found through experience that I like 5-10 days on the boat, but not much more than that.
I also thought that managing my property in northern Ontario would take up a lot more time than it does and that I would want to perhaps live up there months at a time. A few weeks at a crack seems to be my sweet spot and I can easily get done what needs to get done.
I like to get a week here and there overseas just doing tourist stuff. I like a ski holiday.
__________So now I’m looking at a life more built around extended vacations doing different sundry activities for a week or two or three at a time rather than a “new life in retirement.”
When I get back home to Cleveland I don’t see much reason *not* to work.
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lol, I am so much less productive at home than at the hospital. Watching Netflix, lifting weights, grill a ribeye, kid comes to show me some artwork. At work, I just sit there and drink coffee and work.
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Dergon what you are describing is achievable at 1.0 FTE in our group. Looks like you can do it at 0.8. Why retire? Especially when the work part is enjoyable.
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Why indeed.
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Quote from dergon
But I found through experience that I like 5-10 days on the boat, but not much more than that.
I can kind of understand the sentiment of 5-10 days. Anytime I’ve even been on a vacation I’m ready to be home after a week. Especially when it’s to a place where there’s more hustle and bustle.
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Personally, I find planning family vacations stressful. I don’t feel a great need to travel and see new places and have a packed itinerary.
For me, a real vacation is a “staycation” where I’m off from work for two weeks at nothing planned: I spend some more time lifting, I get some better sleep, read a novel, take the kids to some local nature places, eat at some restaurants, make love to the wife more, etc.
My mother-in-law lives in an adjacent state where we drive 8 hours to get there, those are nice trips as well: we go there for a week or two and nothing is planned, she plays with the kids, I sleep and lift and go to the local gun range, we know all the local restaurants, and it’s really low key. -
Quote from Flounce
Personally, I find planning family vacations stressful. I don’t feel a great need to travel and see new places and have a packed itinerary.
For me, a real vacation is a “staycation” where I’m off from work for two weeks at nothing planned: I spend some more time lifting, I get some better sleep, read a novel, take the kids to some local nature places, eat at some restaurants, make love to the wife more, etc.
My mother-in-law lives in an adjacent state where we drive 8 hours to get there, those are nice trips as well: we go there for a week or two and nothing is planned, she plays with the kids, I sleep and lift and go to the local gun range, we know all the local restaurants, and it’s really low key.
When you don’t have kids, vacationing is easy and fun 🙂
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I have no doubt!
As a parent, looking out for, and planning things around, the kids is never far from my consciousness all waking hours of the day and sometimes when sleeping. -
Quote from Flounce
I have no doubt!
As a parent, looking out for, and planning things around, the kids is never far from my consciousness all waking hours of the day and sometimes when sleeping.
Some of the most stressful and fatiguing weeks of my life were “vacations” where we took our very young kids to the beach. -
Coming up on 10 years since divorce finalized and I still get anxious leading up to a vacation. Forme fruste of PTSD I suppose due to the stress, anxiety and general unpleasantness of being cooped up with an incompatible partner. Fortunately, now that the kids are grown and I’m with a great GF, vacations are a joy. Love my kids and being a parent has been great, but when my youngest left for college I’ve realized how much I enjoy not having to be in charge ALL THE TIME.
As for early retirement, about the only things I can’t do now that I could do if I were retired are take vacations longer than 2 weeks or take off time on short notice. Neither one of these has been an irritant thus far, but I can see a time in the not too distant future when it might be. I suppose I could look into working remotely for several months of the year but then…. I’d still be working.
And living on a sailboat? My brother and I do an annual sailing trip which is a highlight of my year. So I’ve spent enough time on a sailboat to know that I wouldn’t want to live on one.
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Quote from BHE
Quote from Flounce
I have no doubt!
As a parent, looking out for, and planning things around, the kids is never far from my consciousness all waking hours of the day and sometimes when sleeping.Some of the most stressful and fatiguing weeks of my life were “vacations” where we took our very young kids to the beach.
Particularly at the airport/flying. It’s stressful enough doing this solo. Young kids take the stress to a much higher level where its essentially a coin toss as to whether or not its even worth it -
The most miserable looking parents in the world are at Disney World.
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I just tell the wife that she has to plan it all. I pay for it all. I just show up. Makes it much better, because I agree, it is hella stressful
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Ah, Travel…
The main reason I continue to work, as it’s not inexpensive. But SO MUCH to SEE and DO. All over the World.
With the drone of work and homelife, Travel has become my mainstay for keeping the mind sharp, awake. And few things do it better than going to a place like Nepal where there is no Judeo-Christian heritage, no Western customs, no conventions. Take on Japan or Africa for more of the same, and see if what you think you know is valid.
Now, I have–literally–kissed the ground upon returning Home. Thank God every day you get to live in the USA. But without that challenge of going elsewhere, you may find it hard to see that.
Perhaps Pakistan and K2 are next… -
Just don’t decide to go see the Titanic please…. -
[b][i]I find planning family vacations stressful[/i][/b]
If you can buy a vacation home in a quiet area on the water and within a reasonable drive from home. Doesn’t have to be fancy but has the basics. Better if its close enough so you can do long weekends. A place where you can just go and veg out while the kids are having fun. Get a wave runner, boat, or kayak/canoe. make it place when get there you never have to leave until time to go home. It will give great quality time w everyone. -
That’s awesome you have a waterfront vacation home, sounds really fun. That’s too rich for my blood, I am happy with the road trips to my mother-in-laws and hanging out there. We go to Lake of the Ozarks in the summer and do water ski and fishing, or the kids do at least, I sit on the covered dock.
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Quote from trailrun
Quote from Drrad123
You have to know how to build wealth and live below your means to retire early. I think many rads are 0/2 in those categories.
I would add a third category, something to retire to. Most of the rads I’ve worked with have no real hobbies or passions in life.
These must be old rads????
I feel as if a lot more rads have hobbies (or even side gigs) outside of medicine compared to a lot of other docs. -
Quote from trailrun
Quote from Drrad123
You have to know how to build wealth and live below your means to retire early. I think many rads are 0/2 in those categories.
I would add a third category, something to retire to. Most of the rads I’ve worked with have no real hobbies or passions in life.
Likely true of most Americans (unless you consider TV/internet/junk food binging a hobby/passion).
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Anyone else ever read “The Medical Student’s Survival Guide” by (I think) Steven Polk, MD?
A memorable passage that’s germane to the present discussion is when he writes about radiology. Paraphrasing here:
“Some radiologists retire early, which makes no sense as the lifestyle of a radiologist differs so little from retirement.”
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Yes I read that book by Polk ! It made my decision to go into radiology! Was a non-PC, much needed, dose of the reality of practicing medicine, that was important for making a good decision on what the different medical specialities are like.
I tried to find it later but couldn’t-
I am 40. I never had debt from college (scholarships and a wife who supported me during med school until end of fellowship). We live well below our means. My wife is a stay at home mom now. Honestly I could probably retire now, except for young kids, health insurance, and love for travel. I’ll probably continue to work until my kids our in college and then I will probably do locums or tele part time until I’m dead.
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Quote from Flounce
Yes I read that book by Polk ! It made my decision to go into radiology! Was a non-PC, much needed, dose of the reality of practicing medicine, that was important for making a good decision on what the different medical specialities are like.
I tried to find it later but couldn’t
Believe it’s been out of print for some time, which is a shame. I remember thinking it almost was like having every cheat code you’d ever need for the game of medicine. If it were published today, there’d probably be an angry woke mob outside the publisher’s offices. By the time I read the book and was finishing up med school, my big career decision was rads or gas; glad I picked rads. I remember begging and pleading with my (now ex-) wife to ditch internal medicine and go into derm. Would’ve been so <expletive deleted> hilarious if she had; she would’ve ended up paying me alimony, LOL. She stubbornly slogged on in IM, making herself and most people around her miserable.
Another thing he presciently predicted was the continued creep of medical specialty boards into the fabric of medicine. Back when the book was first published I’m not sure if there were any ABMS boards that had recertification (or perhaps it was just starting). He noted that the recert interval will go from 10 years, to 7, to 5, to basically continuous. Which is exactly what has happened.
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