| When you retire from any profession but perhaps | | | | expect. If someone asks you at a social event what |
| especially from the medical profession, you will go | | | | you do, begin to notice your answer and how it |
| through a process of re-inventing yourself. | | | | gradually changes as you change and become more |
| If you've been a doctor for many years, your | | | | used to being retired. You may start by saying, 'I 'm |
| identity was almost certainly, at least in the eyes of | | | | a doctor' or 'I used to be a doctor 'or 'I'm a retired |
| others, very much defined by your professional role. | | | | doctor.' Eventually you may find you've progress to |
| So when you retire you have the life transition itself | | | | the simple phrase 'I'm retired,' only giving out more |
| but also your own and others' reaction to the loss of | | | | about your past if asked, 'retired from what?' |
| a major part of your identity. | | | | If you've always fancied doing or being someone |
| When you leave Medicine, you are very likely to go | | | | different then now is your chance to do so. Decide |
| through a grief reaction to this change of your | | | | on your first step, your very first step and take the |
| identity. For some doctors it is not as easy as taking | | | | action you need to re-invent yourself. This could be, |
| off a coat. It takes several years to let go of a | | | | for example, changing the way you dress, or your |
| medical identity. As a result, you may feel angry, sad, | | | | hairstyle or learning something completely new. It |
| and guilty, before eventual acceptance. | | | | may be going by bus instead of car or finding a |
| After having been identified as a doctor for many | | | | different route to the shops. It may be something |
| years, retirement is a time to move on from that or | | | | deeper, such as changing some of your fundamental |
| at least to make a change in what a medical identity | | | | beliefs about who you are, or what you are capable |
| means to you when you are no longer involved in | | | | of achieving. You may come to realise the reason |
| day to day decisions about patients. | | | | you didn't do what you really wanted to do, years |
| Retirement could be regarded as a wonderful | | | | ago was your own self belief and your own |
| opportunity to re-invent yourself and do things | | | | confidence or lack of it. |
| differently. Sometimes this can be easier than you | | | | |