Would You Seek Treatment From a Centenarian Physician?

In a recent blog, the ethicist Arthur Caplan, PhD, discussed the issue of whether a physician who was 100 years of age should continue to practice medicine. Dr Caplan noted that although airplane pilots are required to retire at age 65, there is no similar requirement for physicians.  

Pilots, of course, must have sufficient manual dexterity, vision, and cognition to safely fly a commercial jet. The massive delays and cancelations seen during the Christmas holiday this past year can be partially attributed to mandatory retirements as well as a host of other issues.  

Should physicians also be required to retire at a specific age? As a society, we may have concerns that an older physician might lack the cognitive skills to provide care or not be as knowledgeable about current practice as their younger counterparts. On the other hand, an experienced physician is often able to identify signs and symptoms of diseases that may be missed by those with less experience.

Dr Caplan advocates for functional testing to ensure the older physician is capable of practicing in a competent manner, using standardized testing on a yearly basis in lieu of mandatory retirement.  He was not specific, however, about what tool would be used, who would administer the testing, and how testing would be tied to licensure.

Dr Caplan also proposed that college professors undergo serial cognitive testing as many people in this group work past age 65. If we mandate cognitive testing for physicians and professors, would we also be required to test nurses and other health care personnel who have the potential to impact the health and safety of those they serve?

This question hits home for me, a practicing nurse and assistant college professor who is 64 years of age. I absolutely feel my experience as a nurse over the past 42 years provides me an advantage in caring for my patients and identifying appropriate interventions. I haven’t yet felt that my age has disadvantaged me. However, there may come a time when my practice will need to be curtailed. How we approach this point and when we realize our limitations is highly variable and likely is not associated with a specific age.

Reference:
Caplan AL. Would you go to a 100-year-old doctor? Medscape. December 22, 2022. Accessed February 6, 2023. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/985130