Sisters man has a healing mission

Judah Slavkovsky has worked his way into rare company. The 24-year-old Sisters man — who grew up in Sisters’ first Habitat for Humanity home and went through all three Sisters schools — is one of only 165 students accepted to Harvard Medical School this year. His path to Harvard was filled with international travel, unexpected events and an enthusiasm for learning.

To complete his biology degree at the University of Portland, Slavkovsky learned how to use a microscope and studied lobsters. But on an international trip, he found his true calling.

After graduating, he didn’t have a specific plan. So he volunteered as a border monitor on the West Bank. As his work was ending, he received a surprise invitation to visit a family friend and doctor in Ethiopia.

The doctor sent Slavkovsky to a small clinic near the Sudanese border. Slavkovsky thought his biology degree and knowledge of germs could be of some help. He ended up with more medical responsibilities than he’d imagined.

The clinic was short two nurse practitioners and had a constant crowd of people waiting to be seen. So Slavkovsky rose to the need and began screening patients and doing wound care. He said he was excited to begin each day.

“I found myself thriving,” said Slavkovsky. “I just really loved that work in Ethiopia.”

He continued his on-the-job medical training at another clinic through Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa. After days filled helping patients, Slavkovsky read medical books at night to add to his knowledge.

He also made a notebook of the maladies he saw so he could learn more. His education on common Third World illnesses included respiratory infections, intestinal maladies, HIV, wound care and various fevers.

“I started to feel real comfortable,” said Slavkovsky, adding that soon he could recognize infections he’d only recently seen in text books.

He remembers one little patient well. A two-year-old Sudanese girl had been burned on the back of her knee. The skin was healing so tight, she couldn’t walk.

With basic medical supplies often non-existent, Slavkovsky created a brace for her. Using his pocket knife, he cut down a sapling and found some cloth and nails to make a custom knee brace.

Every couple days, he extended the brace so the skin would stretch and bring back her normal knee motion.

“She left walking. Her mother was just so happy.”

When Judah visited Harvard and endured difficult interviews, he thought he wouldn’t be accepted.

So the day his mother picked up the big envelope from the Post Office was an exciting one. He was also accepted by Johns Hopkins University and the University of California, San Francisco.

“Harvard is much more geared to international medicine,” said Slavkovsky of his choice.

Through his international experiences, Slavkovsky has witnessed the impact of war and political policy on medical care.

“I really got interested in the policy aspect,” said Slavkovsky. So he said he’ll “have trouble choosing” between all the social medicine classes that he can take in his first year.

Slavkovsky’s accomplishments in his 24 years are remarkable but perhaps not surprising considering his strong family. In 1992, the Slavkovskys moved into Sisters’ first Habitat for Humanity house. Also, they have given back much to the community, with mom Theresa working as Family Access Network director for the Sisters School District.

Judah and his younger sisters Rose and Mary are all outstanding students. Rose, 17 years old, serves as a board member for Sisters Habitat for Humanity.

Judah Slavkovsky knows his four years at Harvard will be intense.

“It’s almost like you’re back as an undergrad,” he said. “I’m excited to get trained for real.”

Slavkovsky is not deterred by the coming years of study. Nor is he deterred by his future career as a doctor working in countries with political strife, understaffed hospitals and few medical supplies.

“There’s a huge need,” said Slavkovsky.