There is a scientific basis for not retiring

According to neurologist Howard Tucker, there is a scientific basis for not retiring. That's why this 102-year-old is the world's oldest practicing doctor.

Image Courtesy What's Next? Documentary

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At 102, he’s the world’s oldest practicing doctor. These are his longevity tips.

Howard Tucker has been practicing medicine since 1947. Ahead of his 103rd birthday, the neurologist shares his thoughts on living a healthier life—and enjoying it, too.

By Alisa Hrustic

June 23, 2025

At 102 years old, Howard Tucker is the world’s oldest practicing doctor—and he’s eagerly looking for new work since the hospital where he taught medical residents closed in 2022. “Right now, I’m out of a job,” Tucker says.

While he’s no longer seeing patients, Tucker’s resume speaks for itself. He received his medical doctorate in 1947 and completed his neurology residency in 1953. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was the chief neurologist for the Atlantic Fleet during the Korean War. In 1989, at a spry 67, Tucker pursued a law degree and passed the Ohio State Bar exam while continuing to work as a neurologist. He helped treat patients in the earliest days of the COVID pandemic and, today, he occasionally teaches medical and law students at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He still consults as a specialist for medical legal cases too.

(7 simple science-backed rules for living longer.)

More recently, he’s also become a TikTok star, with 101,000 followers and counting. Tucker’s grandson, Austin, created the account with his friend Taylor Taglianetti. Together, they produced the documentary What’s Next? to showcase Tucker’s extraordinary accomplishments and zest for life.

Ahead of his 103rd birthday in July, National Geographic asked Tucker for his secret sauce to longevity. The centenarian staunchly credits a continuous pursuit of knowledge and connection—and the occasional martini. Read on for his tips for better health and the habits he believes everyone should avoid.

(Carbon Dating Confirms World's Oldest Torah Scroll)

The centenarian neurologist credits social connection and continuous pursuit of knowledge as key to his longevity. Above, Tucker is seen at Progressive Field in Cleveland before throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game on his 100th birthday.

Image Courtesy What's Next? Documentary

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: You’ve said that retirement is the “enemy” of longevity. What brought you to this realization, and why do you feel strongly about it?

HOWARD TUCKER: These are not just my whims. It’s been documented that for each additional year of working, there’s a lower risk of dementia. It’s important to continue with decision-making, with social interaction. This slows down cognitive decline. It goes back to the old theory of ‘use it or lose it.’ If you don’t use your brain, you’re going to lose it.

What advice would you give to people whose work is harming their health?

I would hope those people could acquire a new profession. You know, I had a patient who found it necessary to drive around the city block several times before she could go to work as a secretary, and she had a stroke at 42 because of the stress that built up. So the advice to her, of course, would have been to find another boss.

(What working long hours does to your body.)

What are three healthy habits that you keep up with and recommend?

Stay physically and mentally active, do not smoke cigarettes whatsoever, and don’t harbor hatred. 

When you hate, you’re physically abusing yourself. Your pulse and blood pressure go up. It’s the same stress that you’d get with any anxiety. Look, hate is innate. When we hate someone, we increase our own stature, emotionally, and it just doesn’t work that way. There’s no reality to it, except the unhealthy physiological responses. 

Do you think smoking is as big a problem for younger people today compared to 30 or 40 years ago? 

Yes, it is. While I was in med school, Alton Ochsner, a surgeon from the Ochsner Clinic (now Ochsner Health), came to talk to my class. He showed that in the generation before mine, very few women smoked. The few who did smoked in the house, never in the streets or in public. At that point, it was conceived that lung cancer was a disease of men, as breast cancer is a disease of women. But he showed compelling evidence that increasing lung cancer rates paralleled the incidence of smoking in ladies. That resolved it in my book. It’s dangerous.

Now, not all doctors believed that. Doctors used to say to patients, “Take up smoking, it’ll curb your appetite and quiet your nerves.” My medical students and residents are shocked when I tell them that doctors would sit on the bed in the hospital smoking a cigarette, and the patient would be in the bed smoking a cigarette. 

I think the same pattern could happen with marijuana. Right now, the government blesses it like it did tobacco. There is increasing evidence that after inhaling marijuana, coordination goes down and intellect is modified. You see premature heart activity—heart attacks, strokes—and this is kind of being brushed aside.

(Marijuana doubles your risk of cardiovascular death, worrying new study shows.)

Do you feel the same way about drinking alcohol?

To me, moderation seems to be correct. When people would ask me about longevity, as a real punkster, I would say: wine, women, and song. There’s a lot to be said for that. (Although, now there have been a few negative reports of wine, even in moderation.)

Do you believe diet influences longevity, and what does yours look like?

While I don’t believe one diet fits all, it’s clear that incorporating more whole, healthy foods as opposed to processed, fried, or sugary treats can help prevent medical issues in the long run. I’ve seen countless food trends come and go throughout my lifetime. There will always be a new study highlighting the benefits or risks of eating just about anything.