Phil Dives into Retirement (1)
A series of articles about transitioning from a very structured professional life
By Phil McCavity
Soon-To-Be-Retired Dentist
As part of my retirement plan, and after a hiatus of five years, I have rejoined the pipe band with which I used to play. Last night at practice, I had a chat with two fellow pipers about retirement. Jack, 78, retired from Ontario Hydro about 24 years ago. Ian is a judge and will have to retire next year when he turns 75. We were discussing how some people view a large part of themselves in terms of their job or career and how retirement means that you are, in effect, no longer “Justice Smith” or “Dr. Jones”. Some people struggle with this.
Just another white-haired retired guy
I am 60 and about to semi-retire. A nice young fellow takes over my dental practice in January and I will be staying on part-time for six months. Then I will be fully retired and, although I will always have my degree, I will in effect no longer be “Dr. McCavity”. I will, instead, just be another white-haired retired guy. Or, as my kids see it, an OLD retired guy. Will this be a difficult transition? Do I self-identify as “Dr. McCavity”? Well, I could count on one hand the number of times I have introduced myself to anyone, patients included, as “Dr. McCavity”. I don’t wear scrubs or a lab coat at work. I don’t go looking to be recognized in the community in which I live and practice as anyone other than just another citizen.
Turning off Dr. McCavity
And yet, I have been “Dr. McCavity” for the past 37-1/2 years; I suspect that identity is deep within me. When I walk away from my career in a little over six months, will I be able to turn off the dentist persona like turning off a switch? Will it bother me to not go into the office and be Dr. McCavity; to not be able to get people out of pain; to not receive thanks for doing a procedure painlessly; to not be able to do something that allows someone to smile again?
“What do you do for a living?”…”I’m a dentist”…will become… “I’m retired”.
Right now this sounds very appealing. There are a lot of things I intend to turn my attention to in retirement. I’ve had enough of being a dentist, and I am looking forward to change and reinventing my life as just plain Phil McCavity.
I think.