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Kiwi doctor drives historic change to medical profession's oath - 'I will attend to my own health'

October 16, 2017

Dr Sam Hazeldine requested the change to ensure doctors look after themselves, as well as their patients.

A New Zealander has made medical history by changing the oath doctors take before entering the profession and experts say it's a gamechanger around the world. 

All doctors take an oath to put the health of their patients first.

But in a rare move that declaration has been altered at the request of Kiwi doctor Sam Hazeldine, who's managing director of Medrecruit.

"Doctors for so long have been sacrificing themselves for the best interests of their patients. And they've been operating under this outdated paradigm that 'because my patient comes first I don't matter'," Dr Hazeldine told 1 NEWS. 

The declaration, called the Declaration of Geneva, has been changed to say: "I will attend to my own health and well-being to provide care of the highest standard." 

It was a unanimous decision by the group representing doctors around the world.

It's hoped it will make it easier for doctors to speak up when they're burnt out. 

"I think one of the main areas it can make a difference is giving doctors the confidence to say no - no to picking up additional shifts, no to staying on," Dr Hazeldine said. 

He first requested the change last year after collecting nearly 5000 signatures from New Zealand and Australian doctors. 

Association of Salaried medical Specialists analyst Dr Charlotte Chambers says she thinks the change is incredibly important.

"You cannot provide effective care for your patients if you yourself are unwell," she said.

"I think there is a culture amongst doctors to be the superheroes, you know, to carry on working despite how hard things might be."

The medical declaration is the modern day Hippocratic Oath. 

It has only been changed three times since it was introduced almost 70 years ago and this change will affect doctors all around world.

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