Dr Patryk Szulakowski

I grew up in Poland and graduated from the Medical University of Silesia in 1995 before moving into specialist training in internal medicine, respiratory medicine, and later sleep medicine. My career has taken me through senior clinical roles in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, giving me almost two decades of experience across a wide range of sleep and respiratory disorders. I also hold internationally recognised postgraduate qualifications in sleep medicine, including the International Sleep Medicine Course Examination in London.

I currently serve as the Clinical Lead for Sleep Medicine at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Bay of Plenty, and work as a Respiratory and Sleep Physician at Tauranga Hospital. Alongside my public role, I practise privately at SleepMedik, where I provide consultant-led assessment, sleep study interpretation, and personalised treatment for patients with sleep apnoea and snoring, complex sleep breathing disorders, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, parasomnias, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

I remain actively involved in national initiatives aimed at improving access to sleep-health services across New Zealand, and I maintain ongoing professional development to ensure my patients receive care informed by the latest evidence and technology.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy gardening – my family often jokes about my “green fingers” – and I regularly attend my local fitness centre, where I swim and take part in yoga, HIIT and boxing classes.

Current employment:

• Clinical Lead – Sleep Medicine, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Bay of Plenty
• Respiratory and Sleep Physician, Tauranga Hospital
• Sleep Medicine Consultant, SleepMedik, Tauranga

Areas of Expertise:

• Sleep apnoea and snoring
• Complex sleep breathing disorders
• Insomnia
• Circadian rhythm disorders
• Parasomnias (e.g., sleepwalking, night terrors)
• Restless legs syndrome
• Narcolepsy
• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome
• Specialist interpretation of overnight sleep studies

Postgraduate Qualifications

• 2013 – International Sleep Medicine Course (ISMC) Examination, London
• 2010 – Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCT) in Respiratory Medicine and General (Internal) Medicine, GMC
• 2004 – PhD with distinction
• 1998 – Diploma (First Class Honours) of Medical Specialist in Internal Medicine (equivalent to MRCP UK)

Memberships

• Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)
• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (FRCP Glasg)
• Member, Australasian Sleep Association (ASA)
• Executive Member, ASA New Zealand Branch