Transitioning to retirement

Find out what you need to do once you've made the decision to retire from clinical practice; the benefits available to retired fellows; and the opportunities to retain your involvement in the college.

A "fully retired" fellow is a fellow who has ceased practising all forms of clinical medicine, medico-legal work and clinical support activities (such as administration, teaching and research). A retired fellow may or may not decide to maintain medical registration.

Medical registration

You'll need to change your registration status with your national regulator. The process differs from country, so please refer to the relevant regulator's website.

In Australia

If you plan to occasionally see patients, be on medical committees or use your professional knowledge to work in management, administration, education, research or an advisory position in any way, you must retain your full specialist registration with the Medical Board of Australia.

If you wish to retire and not renew you medical registration you can select "not to renew" on your reminder notice or ignore the reminder notices.

More information

In New Zealand

If you're retiring from medical practice and are not intending to practise again in the future, the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) advises that you cancel your registration. There's no charge to do this. If you change your mind at a later date, you can apply for restoration to the register. This is a relatively simple process provided you meet the MCNZ's fitness for registration requirements.

More information

Maintaining your membership and fellowship

Fully retired fellows are no longer required to pay an annual subscription fee yet can still enjoy many of the benefits listed below in 'Benefits for retired fellows'. Should you wish to notify the college of your retirement, please get in contact with membership services.

Concessions to membership fees

Once you've decided to retire, you can either advise us in writing or complete an online concession application which can be found here. For any queries relating to your subscription concession application, please email finance.

The requirements for participation in continuing professional development change upon retirement depending on your work status.

If you don't maintain your medical registration post-retirement, you don't need to participate in continuing professional development.

If you do maintain your medical registration but retire from clinical practice, you can amend your participant status to non-clinical.

Retired fellows who are not involved in direct patient care but work in any other capacity are required to achieve 80 credits across the triennium through participation in knowledge and skills activities. They are not required to complete practice evaluation or emergency response activities.

An annual statement of participation will become available to retired fellows upon completion of the continuing professional development plan and 15 credits.

Retired fellows can continue participation as a clinical or non-interventional practice type should they wish without advising the college.

If you wish to alter your CPD participant status, please contact us:

Email cpd@anzca.edu.au
Phone +61 3 9510 6299

See what some of our fellows have to say about retirement

Watch some of our fellows retired fellows, a pain physician and a psychiatrist share their personal stories and pearls of wisdom about transitioning to retirement. Please note an ANZCA log in is required to view the video.

Benefits for retired fellows

The college gratefully acknowledges the contributions that retired fellows have made to the college and their profession and provides the following specific ongoing benefits for retired fellows:

Complimentary registration at ANZCA annual scientific meetings.
Invitation to complimentary retired anaesthetists’ luncheons, which provide an ideal opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new acquaintances.
Complimentary continuing professional development.
Access to ANZCA Library services and resources, such as online journals and textbooks and article requests.
Regular communications to keep you in the loop, such as the ANZCA Bulletin, and ANZCA E-Newsletter. Please contact us if you'd like to change the communications that you receive.