Physician of the Month: Dr. Hadas Shasha-Lavsky

Dr. Hadas Shasha-Lavsky is a pediatrician and specialist in pediatric nephrology. Since 2019, she has served as Director of the Pediatric Nephrology Unit at Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. She studied medicine in Jerusalem, completed her residency in pediatrics at Bnai Zion Medical Center, and her fellowship in pediatric nephrology at Rambam Health Care Campus. Alongside her clinical work, she has served as Head of the Department of Pediatrics at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine since 2023 and leads the Medical Education Unit at Galilee Medical Center. She is the mother of three and lives in Tivon.

At the heart of Dr. Shasha-Lavsky's clinical practice is the care of children with chronic illnesses. For her, treatment cannot focus solely on the disease itself. The child remains at the center, supported by a multidisciplinary team that combines medical and nursing care with emotional and educational support, parent guidance, and family-centered care. The Pediatric Nephrology Unit she leads provides comprehensive services for a wide range of kidney conditions in children, from prenatal counseling in cases of fetal kidney abnormalities, through diagnosis and long-term management of pediatric kidney disease, to dialysis, kidney transplant preparation, and follow-up care for transplant recipients.

"Residents of northern Israel deserve high-quality, accessible healthcare just like every other citizen in the country," she says, viewing the provision of comprehensive specialist care in the periphery as a central part of her mission.

This perspective naturally extends to her work in medical education. As Head of the Department of Pediatrics, she recently led a comprehensive review and improvement process for pediatric education at the Faculty. Department members worked in dedicated groups that examined key areas including the structure of pediatric clinical rotations, early exposure to pediatrics during the pre-clinical years, student assessment, the use of digital educational resources, and community-based pediatric teaching. The initiative culminated in a faculty-wide workshop where the groups presented their conclusions and recommendations and began translating them into practical action plans.

At the same time, a new tradition of academic meetings within the Department of Pediatrics was launched. The inaugural meeting was held at the French Hospital in Nazareth and brought together approximately 120 healthcare professionals. Combining clinical and research presentations, the event was designed to strengthen the pediatric community in the Galilee and foster connections between hospitals, community healthcare providers, and the Faculty.

Another field that has occupied Dr. Shasha-Lavsky's attention for many years is Medicine and the Holocaust. In her view, studying medicine during the Holocaust is not only a historical endeavor but also a way to explore fundamental questions of ethics, morality, professional responsibility, and medical identity. She leads the annual Nahariya Conference on Medicine and the Holocaust, held in collaboration with the Faculty, the Ghetto Fighters' House Museum, and Western Galilee College, and coordinates the subject within the Faculty. The program includes an elective course as well as a longitudinal curriculum integrated throughout the medical program. In recent years, Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremonies organized together with the Student Union have also provided opportunities for discussion about medicine, ethics, and professional responsibility.

"Medical education is a cornerstone of high-quality, professional healthcare," she says. "It does not end in medical school but continues throughout one's professional life. One of the most beautiful things about medicine is that you never stop learning and evolving." According to Dr. Shasha-Lavsky, her collaboration with the Faculty's Medical Education Unit has enabled the field to develop in a systematic way and expand its impact.

Ultimately, her clinical, educational, and ethical work are united by a shared commitment to the region she calls home.

"I believe in the North, in its strengths and its high quality, and above all in the people who make up our community. The Faculty serves as a magnet for excellence in medicine and research, and I am proud to be part of the joint efforts of the Faculty and the hospital on behalf of the Galilee."