About Dr. Zarski

Dr. Wladimir Zarski was born in 1933. Nurturing his love for music, he attended both Boston and Heidelberg School of Music where he received professional vocal training. In June of 1954 at the age of 21, Wladimir came to the United States. True to his character, he studied hard and became a U.S. citizen in April of 1955 in El Paso, Texas. “I was very proud and excited to become a U.S. citizen!” Dr. Zarski stated. He entered the army in 1955 and was stationed in Germany until 1957 when he received an honorable discharge.

                In 1957, Dr. Zarski journeyed to Switzerland to study Philosophy and Languages at the University of Basel. During his stay, he met and married his wife Lisbeth from Zurich, Switzerland by civil marriage, and returned to the United States, where he was married in the church.

After graduating from Wayne State University as a medical technologist (ASCP registered), Dr. Zarski worked at Holy Cross Hospital full time, and various other hospitals in the Metro-Detroit area part time, totaling 4 years. Wladimir then decided to study medicine, and was accepted to the University of Graz in Austria, where he received his doctorate of medicine in 1980. He frequented the United States during the summer semester to work as a medical technologist at Parma Community Hospital in order to support his wife and 3 children.

 After graduation, Wladimir then worked in Austria for 1 year as an orthopedic surgery assistant and worked with asthmatic children at Stolzalpe, Murnau. He was then transferred at Graz Hospital as an E.R. Physician. While there he assisted in orthopedic operations, and helped treat lacerations. He particularly enjoyed Stolzalpe because of the beautiful mountainous areas, beautiful scenery and fragrant smells.

                Returning to the states, Zarski worked at the Baldwin Clinic in Detroit as a physician’s assistant for 2 years while studying at Kaplan School in Southfield, Michigan. After completed necessary tests for an U.S. internship, he then was accepted into Macomb Hospital, where he completed his transitional internship.

                After working as a primary physician in Montrose, Pennsylvania, Dr. Zarski in order to fulfill his goal of higher education, started his residency in psychiatry in 1989 at Middletown Psychiatric Hospital, affiliated with Columbia University which lasted one year. He returned to Michigan to live with his family, and was accepted into the Lafayette Clinic at Wayne State University, doing an addition 2 years of residency in psychiatry and graduated in June 1992 from Wayne State University.

From 1992 on he has been very active in the community, providing psychiatric services for numerous mental health agencies and hospitals in the Metro-Detroit area including Macomb Oakland Regional Center, Northville Psychiatric Hospital, Caro Center Michigan State Hospital (10 years), Clinton Valley Center, and New Center Community Mental Health. In 2009, Dr. Zarski was honored as an Everyday Hero by Saginaw Community Mental Health Authority. The award is a special tribute that acknowledges the leadership skills, participation, and successes of their honorees, and is signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm. Dr. Zarski received recognition due to his 6 years of serving inmates at Saginaw County Jail.