Data were extracted from 8156 obituaries. The specialties with the oldest average age at death were general practitioners (80.3, SD = 12.5, n = 2508), surgeons (79.9, SD = 13.6, n = 853) and pathologists (79.8, SD = 13.8, n = 394). The specialties with the youngest average age at death were emergency physicians (58.7, SD = 23.6, n = 43), anaesthetists (75.5, SD = 16.1, n = 473) and radiologists (75.8, SD = 14.5, n = 172). Cancer was the most common cause of death and did not differ by specialty. Doctors on average have an older age at death than the general U.K. population.
First published: 08 February 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/lim2.23
Mean age at death in years (SD)
All specialties8156 78.9 (14.1)
Medical 1639 78.6 (14.2)
Surgical 853 79.9 (13.6)
