Stepping into the void after 31 years

iStock_the_Void_000006635563XSmallI have stepped into the void.

After 31 years in private practice, I have graduated.

I have finished my charts at the hospital, changed my status from Active Staff to Honorary Staff, turned in my office parking pass and key card, and carried home the detritus of my career in three cardboard boxes.

Self-unemployed.

It turns out that closing a practice is harder than opening one. The response of so many patients has been most gratifying. For the past month people have been lining up to say goodbye.

The lines have not been long enough to brag about, but it is touching just the same. Many have signed up for a farewell colonoscopy.

Technically one has to change the corporation, amend one’s partnership agreement, arrange for new health insurance, end the malpractice insurance, and in our case terminate the pension plan.

But now it is time to reboot.

Because we have been so busy, our Gap Year plans have suffered from a lack of imagination to date. It turns out that the first six months will be spent doing what we frequently do but for much longer and unencumbered by patient care.

Tomorrow I am going to visit my 92-year-old father for a week. Usually I am there for 48 hours.

Then, after a month of transition we will spend four months on the coast of Maine. I usually spend two to three weeks with some harried long weekends intermixed.

Five weeks of November and December will be spent in Paris. Though we have been many times we are always in and out in seven days.

After that nothing is planned and I hope to come up with something exotic. Time will tell.

It turns out that I have to negotiate with my wife. If this were a real gap year I would be negotiating with my parents.

Which is worse?

When will the Void hit?

Many of my patients say they are so happy to have retired. Others say they went mad and returned to work.

Because I have had a happy and satisfying career; because I plan to do something constructive after my gap year; and because I had a natural break in my career path and life trajectory that made this gap possible, I am optimistic that the Void will be brief.

Here’s hoping.

Onward.

Editor’s note: Sam has had a distinguished career as a physician. Deets here. – DW

P.S. I think Sam will let me be his editor. We’ll find out…

, ,

25 Responses to Stepping into the void after 31 years

  1. Betsy June 2, 2013 at 7:47 am #

    A farewell colonoscopy – that is a gift I never considered giving my physician, no matter how much I appreciate her work! Must make a mental note…

    Congratulations Sam – on an impressive career and a terrific family. You deserve to enjoy yourself now. Love to all…. Bets

    • Sam June 3, 2013 at 2:13 pm #

      Thank you! I am excited!

  2. Nancy Harrison June 2, 2013 at 8:40 pm #

    Do you think I can write a program to just post an “I’m envious” note about every 10 days? And why does Sam need an editor?

    • Debbie June 3, 2013 at 11:12 am #

      Ha!

    • Sam June 3, 2013 at 2:20 pm #

      Because Debbie says I need one.

  3. Andy Franklin June 3, 2013 at 12:58 am #

    This is the first blog I’ve ever read. Really. I’m sure Debbie will be shocked to know that. I will enjoy following your gap year.

  4. Jennifer Lyle June 3, 2013 at 9:10 am #

    I think I’m going to be a follower of this for several reasons. First, I love the idea & the sharing of it in this way.

    No, really, the truly first reason is because you and Debbie got on the phone with me and helped me when my husband was in the hospital last year for his unexpected bypass surgery. I will never ever forget that and although it may not have bonded you to me, it most certainly bonded me to you forever.

    OK, on to several other reasons. My husband Jim & I are business partners and as the two of you ‘negotiate’, wonder whether Debbie can be your editors & work through all those other things that come up as you go along, I can relate to every single one. Being in business with your spouse and best friend (which clearly you two are to each other) will let you dig deeper into yourselves on behalf of the relationship than you ever thought would be possible. Somehow or other our marriage has become stronger and better because of this experience.

    Another reason is that Jim & I are in the same stage of life (kinda the same age group too), so I feel sympatico.

    And another: Books & Voxie Media. I was engaged in Debbie’s process of developing the business name even though at the time I was having trouble understanding what she meant by short books (that seems a long time ago, Debbie!) And furthermore, Jim & I are committed to completing & publishing his book this year.

    I love your plans to date and the rest will emerge from these. Keep writing, Sam.

    • Debbie June 3, 2013 at 11:12 am #

      Jennifer, your comments much appreciated.

    • Sam June 3, 2013 at 2:17 pm #

      Thank you, Jennifer. I look forward to writing more and more. I will add that Debbie’s edits have been spot on to date. I hope it lasts.

  5. Kem Sawyer June 3, 2013 at 9:32 am #

    Love your musings. Looking forward to the next one.

    • Sam June 3, 2013 at 2:18 pm #

      Kem, I am just warming up.

  6. Minor Myers June 4, 2013 at 11:19 am #

    Can’t wait to hear more about the year off, Sam’s transition, and his thoughts on the practice and business of medicine!

  7. Corinna June 4, 2013 at 3:40 pm #

    I think the title of this blog is AWESOME… Cheers to Gap Years for Dr. Sam!

    • Debbie June 7, 2013 at 10:22 am #

      Corinna, it will be hard to keep up with you! xo

  8. JoAnn Corley June 29, 2016 at 12:25 pm #

    What a great idea and very courageous! As one who works with human potential and creativity, gaps, boredom, and no schedule are key elements in creating a space for something new to show up. Depending on our comfort level (or shall I say “discomfort level”) with ambiguity, we may seek to fill it too quickly, thereby missing out on the priceless gifts that could emerge if approached with patience and child-like discovery, To a journey of surprise and awe!

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Gap Year After Sixty | Why it’s OK to have a (non)plan for a Gap Year - June 1, 2013

    […] A little bit about what we do: Sam is a physician and he just completed (yesterday!) 31 years of medical practice as a gastroenterologist in Washington DC. He’s highly knowledgeable and he’s passionate about health care reform. He’s not a blogger – yet. But you’ll be hearing much more from Sam soon. As soon as I can coax him into publishing his first blog post. Whoa… here’s his first post! […]

  2. Why it’s OK to take a Gap Year After Sixty – Voxie Media: Big Ideas. Short Books.™ - June 1, 2013

    […] Stepping into the void after 31 years […]

  3. Gap Year After Sixty | My first work day on sabbatical: reflections on the cost of colonoscopies - June 3, 2013

    […] feel the Void. I must make this day […]

  4. The Truth about Transitions | ADD . . . and-so-much-more - June 4, 2013

    […] Stepping into the void after 31 years (gapyearaftersixty.wordpress.com) […]

  5. Transitions: Divide to Conquer | ADD . . . and-so-much-more - June 9, 2013

    […] Stepping into the void after 31 years (gapyearaftersixty.wordpress.com) […]

  6. Commitment to Transition | ADD . . . and-so-much-more - June 22, 2013

    […] Stepping into the void after 31 years (gapyearaftersixty.wordpress.com) […]

  7. Gap Year After Sixty | For now, you can call me Plain Mr. Harrington (S.) - June 26, 2013

    […] has been three weeks since I stepped into the void. Taking that step means I gave up one of the most responsible jobs in the workforce, making […]

  8. Report From the Void: Sam’s Reflections After 12 Months | Gap Year After Sixty - June 1, 2014

    […] Debbie has instructed me to write a wrap-up as we bring the 12th month to a close. She suggested I riff off my first post of June 1, 2013: Stepping Into the Void After 31 Years. […]

  9. Why it’s OK to have a (non)plan for a Gap Year | Gap Year After Sixty - November 21, 2014

    […] A little bit about what we do: Sam is a physician and he just completed (yesterday!) 31 years of medical practice as a gastroenterologist in Washington DC. He’s highly knowledgeable and he’s passionate about health care reform. He’s not a blogger – yet. But you’ll be hearing much more from Sam soon. As soon as I can coax him into publishing his first blog post. Whoa… here’s his first post! […]

  10. Two-Year Report: My Book on the Boomer’s Guide to the Last Trip | Gap Year After Sixty - June 1, 2015

    […] Stepping into the Void After 31 Years (June 1, 2013) […]

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.