Declarations made by graduating medical students in Australia and New Zealand

To survey the use of declarations of ethical commitment made by graduating medical students in Australia and New Zealand.

Information, obtained by email and telephone, from faculty officers of all faculties of medicine (or medicine and health sciences) in Australia and New Zealand.

Declarations are made by graduating medical students at seven of 12 Australasian faculties of medicine. To date, declarations have been based on the Declaration of Geneva or the Hippocratic Oath or have been formulated by academic staff or the students themselves. In six of the seven universities, declarations are made as part of a special declaration ceremony (usually combined with a prize-giving ceremony). One university includes a declaration as part of the official graduation ceremony.

We discuss the relative merits of a declaration selected for students by staff members and a declaration written anew by each group of graduating students.