David: A Physician’s Encore in the Making

David was a physician in his mid-sixties with a well-established practice that he and his partner had built over many years. He wanted to retire soon and that meant selling the practice. He and his partner had already begun the early work that was required to put this into action.

As they began to take these steps, David realized that this was not going to be easy. While he had the transactional side of selling a practice in hand, he was struggling with the prospect of no longer seeing patients or having the day-to-day interaction with his staff who saw each other as extended family. It was the emotional side of selling the practice and retiring that was troubling David.

It was the emotional side of selling the practice and retiring that was troubling David.

As they began to take these steps, David realized that this was not going to be easy. While he had the transactional side of selling a practice in hand, he was struggling with the prospect of no longer seeing patients or having the day-to-day interaction with his staff who saw each other as extended family. It was the emotional side of selling the practice and retiring that was troubling David.

As is common with many physicians, the work runs deep and is core to their sense of identity. As David put it, “I’m a doc, how do I not be a doc?”

What began to emerge in the conversations was a scenario in which David did not need to stop practicing. Not entirely. The question became in what other ways, ones that would work better for him today, could he remain engaged in the practice of medicine.

One possibility that emerged was to volunteer his services to those less fortunate than the patients in his current practice. His coach provided David with an introduction to a small non-profit organization that provided specialty health care to underserved populations.

As he spent time talking with its executive director, he could see himself helping the organization and felt energized by the possibility.

David realized that it was important to him to give back, to pay it forward so to speak, in some way. His wife had immigrated to the US, and he felt he understood how different things are in less advanced countries where people don’t have the same access to care. In this next chapter of his life, he wanted to give back to others less fortunate.

The thought of giving back while still practicing medicine energized him and he felt a strong commitment to pursue this direction.

Over the next year, David and his partner sold the practice and continued to support the new owner in the transition. He was able to end this chapter of his life well, which for David meant that both his patients and his staff were in good hands. He also completed his first trip as a medical volunteer.

David went on to do several more of these volunteer trips. Along the way he met other doctors from around the globe, and many have become close friends. He describes that each trip is incredibly rewarding and brings him back to do the next trip.

His plan is to continue to make the trips until such a time as travel to remote areas is no longer possible. He added with a smile, “and then I’ll come up with another encore where I can help people live better lives.”