Should Doctors Retire At A Certain Age?
Many people like to make a comparison between the airline industry and the medical industry when it comes to protocols.
Is there a maximum age restriction for commercial pilots in the United States? Yes, there is. In 2007, Congress raised the age of forced retirement for commercial pilots from 60 to 65 years old.
In light of that, should physicians be forced to retire after a certain age as well? Should we trust our health to the abilities of a physician who is 70, 75, 80 years or older?
Just the other day, I took care of a patient who said his 82-year-old family physician has been practicing for 50 years in his small town:
Patient: Dr. Jones used to do a lot of major surgeries around my parts. He doesn’t do them so much anymore. But he does some procedures. He sent me here because he couldn’t see the bleeder in my nose.
Happy: That’s probably because he has cataracts.
Should there be a maximum age limit for physicians?
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist*
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