Volunteering for retired medics

Introduction

After a fulfilling career in medicine, the prospect of retirement might seem daunting. While long days of leisure sound nice in theory, many retired clinicians feel a sense of lost purpose and a lack of intellectual stimulation.

When you’ve spent your life caring for others, volunteering can be a natural next step. Unlike your current shift patterns, volunteering opportunities are often flexible. You can choose when you volunteer and in what capacity. It’s a way to give back on your own terms.

Made for medics

The skills you’ve learnt in practice are made for volunteering. Leadership, empathy, communication and clinical judgement are all assets that organisations actively seek.

When you think of volunteering you may think of food banks or soup kitchens, but there’s so much more on offer. Whether it’s mentoring younger clinicians, governance and advisory roles or medical research projects here and abroad – the world’s truly your oyster.

If you want a clean break from medicine, there are countless opportunities for every interest. Love a day on the golf course? You can help oversee a tournament. Harbour a dream of co-hosting radio? There’s a volunteering role for that.

A much-needed boost

You don’t want to step from one job into another, which is why the flexibility of volunteering offers a greater balance. There are many opportunities that fit around your retirement lifestyle, and you can choose to work on a project basis, ad-hoc or even remotely.

A study from Gov UK on life satisfaction found a score increase across volunteers, with the biggest benefit reported by those who volunteer at least once a month but less than once a week. This reinforces the belief that volunteering should enhance retirement, not recreate burnout.

As part of a national survey, volunteers reported*:

• A sense of personal achievement (90%)
• Feeling as though they’re making a difference (90%)
• A broadened life experience (86%)
• Improved mental health and wellbeing (77%)

How to get started

The Wesleyan Foundation is our charitable arm. Since 2017, we’ve awarded over £7.6 million to deserving causes across the UK. We work with hundreds of organisations, including those in the medical space.

In our next article, you can hear from two of our retired volunteers. In the meantime, here’s some information on how to get started:

1. Define your interests

There’s a role for every hobby, every interest, every cause. Whether you want to help animals in need, clean up the environment or educate the next generation of aspiring doctors. Think about your passions and what you’re most likely to stick to.

2. Consider your schedule

What are your plans for retirement? How much time do you realistically have to volunteer? You might want to consider volunteering on an ad-hoc or remote basis before you commit to a season abroad or a big project.

3. What are your goals?

Volunteering isn’t just about giving back. It’s what you get out if too. If you’re looking to find community, local volunteering groups can be a great way to socialise. If mental stimulation is what you’re after, tutoring or delivering seminars could be just the thing.

4. Explore opportunities

A quick Google search will pull up opportunities in your local area and beyond. If you have a specific organisation in mind, reach out to them directly or head on down to your local library, food bank or community centre. If you want to stay within the NHS, there are volunteering opportunities through the NHS website.

5. Apply and qualify

Most roles require you to fill out an application form followed by an informal interview. If you’re working with vulnerable individuals, like children or people with disabilities, you may be asked to complete a DBS check. You’ll also likely get hands-on training to prepare you for your new role.

* NCVO survey - 2019