Howard Tucker has lived through a World War, the dawn of penicillin and the invention of the MRI—but nothing prepared him for TikTok fame at more than 100 years old. The centenarian doctor-turned-viral-sensation still lectures at Case Western Reserve University—offering both medical insights and life advice in equal doses.
Tucker turns 103 today—and he’s still not ready to fully retire.
Neurologist, Navy veteran, lawyer and part-time lecturer at the School of Medicine, Tucker holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s oldest practicing doctor. Though he stopped treating patients in 2022—he still remembers the exact date, Nov. 15—he remains an active medical educator and is always looking for new opportunities.
“It all fell into place easily,” Tucker said of his long career. “Just things I did as I went. One step at a time. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve lived a pedestrian life.”
Others would disagree. A World War II veteran, Tucker earned his medical degree in 1947 (The Ohio State University College of Medicine), served as chief neurologist for the U.S. Atlantic Fleet during the Korean War and then, after law school at Cleveland State University’s Cleveland–Marshall College of Law, passed the Ohio Bar exam at age 67. His mental acuity still sharp and witty, Tucker continues to consult on medicolegal cases and lecture students at Case Western Reserve, where his seven decades of medical knowledge still resonate.
In 2021, his grandson, Austin, and filmmaker, Taylor Taglianetti, began documenting Tucker’s life in a film called What’s Next?; the pair is currently booking screenings and seeking broader distribution. The documentary’s companion TikTok account—intended mostly to archive footage—took off, attracting more than 100,000 followers. The page has 4.8 million “likes.”
“People want to hear from someone who has truly lived,” Austin Tucker said. “He flips the idea of aging. There are a lot of older adults who want to contribute—and can.”
The project earned a Webby Award in 2025—and a few unforgettable memories, including spending time with Snoop Dogg backstage.
“Grandpa closed down the (Webby) afterparty with Questlove at 2 in the morning,” Austin Tucker said. “It’s hard to put into words how surreal this has all been.”
The digital fame may be new, but Tucker’s message isn’t: Stay curious. Stay engaged. Never stop learning.
Words of wisdom
The elder Tucker reminds his Case Western Reserve medical students not to rely too heavily on technology and to value the patient’s story above all.
“The invention of the CT scan changed everything,” he said, “but you still need to take a good history.”
Tucker credits his own longevity to a combination of genetics (his younger brother turns 100 later this year), regular exercise, curiosity, humor—and a refusal to hate.
“Hatred is devastating to the person who hates,” he said. “Pulse, heart rate, blood pressure all go up. Jealousy is also tremendously unhealthy; just accept yourself as who you are.”
Tucker used to swim a mile each day and jogged regularly; now, he uses a treadmill—the handrails offer security and balance. He occasionally snowshoes with family, including his wife, Sue, of 68 years.
Asked to share his philosophy on living healthy, he doesn’t miss a beat: “Irish playwright Bernard Shaw said the key to longevity is no liquor, no smoking, no caffeine and no red meat. Winston Churchill said he started his day with brandy, smoked between eight and 12 cigars per day and finished his day with red meat. I say—with absolute hubris—that I’m smarter than both of them. Moderation is everything.”
His advice to living a long, rewarding and productive life? “Don’t smoke. Don’t hate,” he said. “And don’t retire unless you absolutely have to; there’s still so much to learn. Why stop now?”
For more information, contact Colin McEwen at Colin.McEwen@case.edu.