Surgeon retired at 47 to become a painter (Money article)

[Trede]

http://time.com/money/5101872/early-retirement-surgeon-painter/

What impresses me most is she planned this from the start, so sometime in the '80s.

[Icecreamarsenal]

Thanks for this, I loved her story and the picture really brought it all home.

[Abe]

Great inspiration, I plan on retiring at 50 following her strategy (except the farmland - probably buy some apartments instead since I don't' know anything about the former). The part about her husband dying suddenly is what made me switch into high gear for retirement. Surgery has already sucked away so much of my life, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to me or my wife with a young son and I wasted too much time chasing a career. Fortunately the "work till you die" mentality has changed drastically in my generation of surgeons (much to the chagrin of "back in my day" old-timers). Good for her in being a pioneer as both a female ENT and an early retiree!!

[Linea_Norway]

I was just listening to a podcast featuring a physician who also said he couldn't handle the job anymore. Obviously physicians need to study for many years before starting to earn a decent salary and then they need to work under great stress. Making the wrong decision or making a physical mistake can cost someone's life. I understand very well that they want to get out of that kind of job soon.