When Is It Time To Hang Up The Stethoscope or Scalpel?
When are doctors too old to practise medicine? In 1905, at the age of 55 years, Sir William Osler publicly
spoke of the ācomparative uselessnessā of men older than 40 years of age. He contended that men should
retire after age 60 and jokingly suggested that at 60 years of age, men be allowed a year of contemplation
before being offered a peaceful departure by chloroform. These comments provoked a storm of
controversy, but Osler maintained his stance that men of intellect should retire at 60 years of age. While
his beliefs might have been influenced by social and cultural factors of the time, the controversy of agerelated
forced retirement continues in professions such as medicine, in which public safety could be at risk.
Modern Medicine ā August 2017
