6 Jobs for Retired Medical Professionals

​According to a survey conducted in 2016, there are approximately 950,000 licensed osteopathic and allopathic physicians in the United States. One-third of these physicians are 60 years or older – a few years shy of the retirement age.

Whereas some physicians wait to retire and start exploring the world, others never want to give up the mental stimulation and fulfillment they get from attending to patients. 

A recent survey revealed that 48% of the physicians interviewed admitted that they would prefer to work on a volunteer or part-time basis upon retirement.

Besides, most medical practitioners prefer to remain active as they make a living from working after officially retiring.

Below are some of the jobs retired professionals who want to stay active can explore:

1. Locum tenens

​If you are a doctor or medical practitioner who wants to remain active after retirement, consider working as a locum tenens doctor. The term Locum comes from a Latin phrase “to hold the place of.”

Locum tenens is a good option for medical professionals who are flexible in terms of time and locations. 

Ever wanted to work in a rural environment in Alaska or a mining town in Nevada? Well, working as a locum tenens can give you that opportunity.

All you need to do is look for a staffing or recruiting agency and give them your details. Most locum tenens jobs last from a few weeks to several months.

​2. Telemedicine

​Technology has made it possible for physicians to attend to the needs of patients remotely. Working as a telemedicine doctor on a part-time basis can be an excellent opportunity for retired medical professionals who want to remain engaged.

There’s nothing so technical about telemedicine. All you need is a computer, smartphone, and a stable internet connection. You will be able to work in the comfort of your home and earn a good salary. Physicians working for telemedicine earn an average of $121 per hour.

Besides, there are several asynchronous opportunities for telemedicine. Although most consultants pay less, the job is simple and can be done through emails or texts.

​3. Job opportunities for retired nurses

Retired nurses have a plethora of opportunities in terms of jobs. As a retired nurse, you can teach high school, sell medical equipment, teach first aid classes in a nursing school, or become a medical author.

Retired nurses have numerous opportunities because they are knowledgeable about matters of health and nutrition. That’s the reason why they can still go back to teaching in high school or nursing schools.

​4. Consulting

​The field of consulting is often mistaken as a preserve for young professionals trying to climb the corporate ladder. Nonetheless, there are many consulting opportunities for retired medical practitioners who want to continue practicing privately.

Governmental, institutional, pharma, and biotech companies often need medical consultants to advise them on issues connected to products, policy, and liability. The important thing is to leverage the available opportunity

5. Healthcare Administration

The demand for healthcare administrators has risen in the past few years. The role of a healthcare administrator generally involves staff oversight and facility management. 

Administrators are the people who ensure that rules and regulations in an organization are enforced.

Although the importance of medical experience is essential to succeed as a healthcare administrator, healthcare administration is different from medical practice. This means a medical professional with extra educational qualifications, such as an MBA, can excel in this particular field.

6. Teaching​

​Teaching can also be an exciting career or volunteer opportunity for retired physicians. You might already be teaching in your residency program or medical school and would like to continue with it.

You can also decide to have a change of environment and opt to teach courses such as philosophy or anatomy at an undergraduate level. Besides, you can choose to teach physician assistant programs or nursing at any nursing school around the country. In other words, the teaching world is vast.

In a nutshell, retiring is not the final call for medical practitioners. This is good, because many physicians and nurses don't like the idea of retiring and hanging the boots of medical practice. 

With a lot of opportunities available, you can still remain active by exploring the above possibilities.