Dynamic temporal perspective on retirement among medical personnel

Background: Retiring from professional practice is one of the most difficult decisions that medical personnel face. Objective: To evaluate physicians’ perceptions regarding retirement in relation to their age at the time the survey was administered. Material and methods: A questionnaire was administered to 434 physicians affiliated with the Centro Médico ABC. It consisted of 48 questions divided into seven sections covering personal finances, retirement savings, and the projected age for a dignified retirement. The questionnaire was distributed via Google Forms; the sample achieved 98% reliability relative to the population. Descriptive and frequency statistical tests were used to understand the behavior of the analyzed variables. Tri- and tetra-variate histograms were generated to evaluate existing probabilistic intersections and analyze statistical dependencies between the variables. Results: The results conclusively show that, in general, physicians are unprepared for retirement from both professional and financial standpoints. It is clearly evident that as physicians advance in their careers, their perception of the timeline for a potential retirement shifts further into the future. Conclusions: Based on the descriptive analysis of the study variables, it can be concluded that the sample studied is at a crucial point for beginning the rational management of its finances and taking steps to achieve optimal financial health.