After 40 years as a doctor, he chose a Croatian island for his next chapter

Dr. Luka Pirnat (Photo credit: Dnevnik Nova TV)

After more than four decades working in medicine, a vascular surgeon from Sarajevo could have retired. Instead, he chose to continue working, on a Croatian island.

The unusual career move has attracted attention after Dnevnik Nova TV reported the story of Dr. Luka Pirnat who decided that retirement was not for him.

The surgeon, who had spent more than 40 years working in his profession, moved to the island to continue practising medicine.

His decision reflects a growing trend of people seeking a different pace of life after spending much of their working lives in large cities.

Rather than completely stepping away from medicine, he chose to combine his professional experience with life in a smaller island community.

“Iž without a doctor again. I said, what is this, where is this. And then I read that the doctor who was here from Macedonia left the island. Hold on, don’t give me that. I said, first let me see where Iž is because I know it from crossword puzzles, an island with two letters. Then I read a little about Iž, what it has, what it doesn’t actually have, more what it doesn’t have than what it does have, and I said, come on, this could be interesting,” Dr. Pirnat told Dnevnik Nova TV.

His story also highlights a broader issue facing many smaller Croatian communities: access to healthcare.

Island communities can face particular challenges in attracting and retaining medical professionals, especially outside the main tourist season.

Doctors willing to relocate can therefore play an important role in maintaining healthcare services for permanent residents.

Croatian islands have experienced major demographic changes over recent decades, with some communities facing population ageing, depopulation and shortages of essential services.

At the same time, the islands attract increasing numbers of visitors during the summer, placing additional demands on local infrastructure and healthcare.

The decision of an experienced specialist to continue working in an island environment therefore has significance beyond one individual’s career choice.

It illustrates how professional experience can remain valuable well beyond traditional retirement age, particularly in communities where specialist medical knowledge may be difficult to access.

For Dr. Pirnat himself, the move represents something different: a continuation of his profession combined with a new lifestyle.

“Official working hours are from 7 am to 3 pm. However, my working hours are 24 hours. So there’s nothing wrong with that. Working hours are absolutely irrelevant here. Everyone has learned that I’m here,” he concluded.

Rather than viewing retirement as the end of his working life, he has chosen to continue helping patients while living in one of Croatia’s island communities.

His story is also a reminder of the different ways in which Croatia’s islands can attract people not only as holiday destinations, but as places to live and work.