How to know when it’s time to retire in Australia: a practical guide for doctors

Deciding when it is time to retire

The average age doctors retire in Australia sits between 65 and 70 but chronological age is rarely the true benchmark. 

Ultimately, when a doctor should retire depends far less on the calendar than on clinical capacity, personal wellbeing, and job satisfaction. 

Doctor retirement planning requires an emotional and psychological shift away from a lifelong career. It’s a multi-step administrative process covering medical registration, professional indemnity, patient records, and practice succession. 

Whether you are considering a phased transition by reducing your hours or planning a complete exit from clinical practice, a structured approach safeguards the well-being of you and your patients. 

Balancing personal priorities with late-career changes

Sydney GP Dr Peter Piazza opted for a phased retirement at 75. He spent two years in solo practice after his associate died unexpectedly, then another couple of years working exclusively in residential aged care “to keep his hand in”. 

His prostate cancer diagnosis in January 2025 ultimately forced his decision to retire fully. Still, he says he was ready to “discontinue the responsibility of caring for patients”.

“And I didn’t want to end up like my associate,” he added.

“Had it not been for the fact that the day he died was a public Monday holiday, he would have gone to the office, and he almost certainly would have died there. 

“I didn't want that. I wanted to get out in a reasonable amount of time because there were things I wanted to do.”

“I had been in practice for 50 years, and it’s all I knew.”

Spending more time with his grandchildren is now his priority, so he can attend events such as school open days and sporting events — all the things he missed with his own children.

Phasing down versus stopping cold turkey

For Dr Piazza, a gradual transition out of medicine was key to managing the next phase of his life.

Many doctors like him opt for a phased exit — dropping off on-call rosters, reducing clinical sessions, or moving into non-clinical roles such as medical education, mentoring, or medico-legal work. 

At 62, Dr Kate Mellowes is doing just that. The Sydney GP has begun transitioning to retirement, with an end date of 65. 

She says the “suffocating” red tape and the increasing medicolegal risk in general practice are key factors in her decision to wind down. 

Dr Mellowes has reduced her general practice work from three days to two and undertakes intermittent examinations for the Australian Medical Council (AMC), typically in multi-day blocks in Melbourne. 

She is considering taking on some locum work in the next phase of her wind-down.

Dr Mellowes describes how recent Medicare and tax changes have significantly increased the administrative burden for GPs and left her feeling overwhelmed.

“It’s not the patients that I want to get away from; it’s all the red tape that I can’t stand, plus the ever-changing Medicare rules and the push [from government] to bulk-bill,” she said. 

“I simply cannot do a good job and bulk-bill everyone. I can’t afford to.”

Dealing with an impending identity crisis

For many doctors, retirement triggers a profound identity crisis with the sudden disappearance of professional identity, purpose and meaning. 

But not every clinician will experience this shock to their system. 

Dr Mellowes finds that some of her male colleagues struggle to let go, whereas female doctors have an easier time because they often have “multiple identities” throughout life, including parenting and other caregiving responsibilities. 

“I have noticed that some female GPs can just walk out the door, and they don’t look back because they already have other lives and interests to go to, so I am not at all concerned about losing my identity or losing my sense of purpose,” she said.

The two-year planning runway: non-clinical obligations

A common pitfall in late-career planning is underestimating the time needed to finalise administrative and legal matters. 

Dr Patrick Clancy, Senior Medical Adviser at Avant and a former GP, recommends treating retirement as a one- to two-year project. 

"We see some doctors really underestimate the number of non-clinical issues involved in retirement. Things like employment obligations, business arrangements, patient communication, medical records, what to do with Medicare provider numbers, AHPRA registration, and insurance," Dr Clancy said. 

Key administrative steps during this time include: 

• Clinical handover: Prioritise high-risk patients, those undergoing active treatment, or clinician colleagues awaiting pending investigation results. You do not need to hand over thousands of low-risk patients, but active clinical care must be safely facilitated or transferred. 
• Notice requirements: Review employment or associate contracts for specified notice periods before announcing your departure date to employers, partners, and referring doctors. 
• Patient notification: Give advance notice to regular patients, particularly those who are receiving chronic disease management, allowing them to prepare for a transition to another practitioner.

AHPRA registration, ROCS and informal care risks

• AHPRA registration options: Retiring doctors must decide whether to transfer to non-practising registration or cancel their medical registration entirely. Both options legally prohibit you from practising medicine, but they carry distinct features:
  • Non-practising registration: Allows you to retain the protected title of "medical practitioner" (as a non-practising doctor), incurs lower annual fees, and removes requirements for continuing professional development (CPD), recency of practice, or professional indemnity insurance. It also provides a more streamlined pathway if you decide to return to work later. 
  • Cancelling registration: Removes your name from the register entirely. Returning to practice later requires a full, formal re-application process.

Dr Piazza says he switched to non‑practising registration so he could keep his title, attend educational meetings, and maintain collegiality. 

“I had been Dr Piazza for the last 50 years, and I didn’t want to lose it,” he said.

“It allows me to keep my hand in and stay up to date without having to worry about CPD requirements.”

“I can also talk shop with my colleagues when I am at educational events, which I enjoy.”

• Understanding the Run-off Cover Scheme (ROCS): The federal government’s Run-off Cover Scheme (ROCS) provides ongoing indemnity cover for civil claims arising from care provided before retirement. 

ROCS eligibility begins immediately upon an insured doctor's permanent retirement from private practice. However, there are two critical boundaries: 

1. Practice entities: ROCS covers individual practitioners, not corporate practice entities. Practice owners may need separate entity run-off insurance.
2. Returning to work: If you return to practising status, ROCS cover ceases, and you must purchase standard indemnity insurance again, including retroactive cover.

• The trap of informal prescribing: Once you stop practising or are no longer registered, you must not provide any clinical care, including writing the odd prescription for family or friends. 
• Giving informal medical advice: This is not permitted without appropriate registration and having indemnity cover.  
• Providing clinical care: You risk breaching Medical Board guidelines and Federal law if you provide care without active practising registration and indemnity insurance.

Dr Clancy recommends retired doctors adopt a clear, standard refusal script: 

"I am retired, so I am legally unable to provide prescriptions or medical advice. I strongly recommend you see your GP."

Medical records retention and practice succession

Retirement does not end your legal obligations with patient health records. Confidentiality, secure storage, and access rights continue well past your final clinical day. 

• Retention timelines: As a rule, medical records must be retained for seven years from the date of the last entry, or until a paediatric patient turns 25. 
• Originals versus copies: Record owners must retain the original records. If a patient transfers to a new clinic, only copies should be provided. 
• Record registers: Maintain a secure register logging where original records are stored and who has received copies.
• Digital software risks: Be aware of long-term software compatibility risks when archiving electronic medical files.
• Practice owners: Closing or selling a clinic involves lease terminations, loan payouts, finalising Medicare claims, and executing business succession. Ensure sale agreements include explicit clauses granting you access to historical records if a legal claim arises later. 

Final words of advice

Ultimately, doctor retirement is based on a whole host of personal and professional factors, but Dr Piazza has some final words of advice for those contemplating this next phase in life.

“I used to think I was irreplaceable, but no one is. If you do it in a planned way that suits you and fits with your patients’ requirements, then you should go ahead,” he says.

“People used to say to me, look, you need to have something to retire to as well as retire from. Well, that’s true to some extent, but you don’t need to worry. You will find things to do.”

Key takeaways

• Start early: Give yourself adequate time — one to two years — to address personal readiness, patient handovers, and business contracts. 
• Prioritise high-risk handovers: Ensure pending test results and high-risk patient files are formally handed over to colleagues before you leave. 
• Know your registration status: Non-practising registration lets you keep your medical title without CPD or indemnity requirements but prohibits all clinical care. 
• Avoid informal prescribing: Do not write scripts or give formal medical advice to family or friends post-retirement. 
• Engage expert support: Work with your medical defence organisation, legal counsel, and financial advisers to manage practice sales, leases, and indemnity transitions. 

For more information:

• Avant / Medical Defence Organisations: For advice on ROCS eligibility, entity run-off cover, and practice succession risks. [Source: [https://avant.org.au/resources/preparing-for-retirement-factsheet] (https://avant.org.au/resources/preparing-for-retirement-factsheet)]
• AHPRA & Medical Board of Australia: For details on switching to non-practising registration and recency of practice guidelines. [Source: [https://www.ahpra.gov.au](https://www.ahpra.gov.au)]
• RACGP / Specialist Colleges: For career transition resources, peer support networks, and late-career wellbeing guides. [Source: [https://www.racgp.org.au](https://www.racgp.org.au)]
• Fair Work Ombudsman / ATO: For employer obligations, employment contracts, and superannuation guidance. [Source: Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)]