Australian Doctor is starting a series on retirement: if you have any ideas on what we should cover please contact paul.smith@ausdoc.com.au

There is something vaguely automotive about the word ‘retirement’ — it carries the faint odour of worn-out tyres.

Last century retired teachers in my secondary school returned to teach us physics and chemistry because of staff shortages.

They were known as ‘retreads’. They didn’t last long.