Ex-Kitchener neurologist Jeffrey Sloka outlines process for different examinations at trial

Warning: This story contains some graphic details.

Ex-Kitchener neurologist Jeffrey Sloka outlined his process for performing skin, cardiac and neurological exams during a second day of giving testimony at the Waterloo Region Courthouse on Wednesday.

Sloka is facing 50 counts of sexual assault in connection to incidents dating back to 2010. The alleged victims, who were patients seeking treatment, ranged in age from their teens to their 50s. 

The defence asked about some continued education that Sloka did in 2014 in Newfoundland and Labrador, which is a requirement by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 

Sloka had arranged to do observation at a dermatology clinic in Newfoundland and Labrador to get insight into performing a total body skin exam on women because he wanted to do his own skin exams in a more sensitive manner, he said. 

Sloka had a primary practice at Grand River Hospital but also had privileges at Guelph General Hospital and St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener.   

Through a line of questioning by his lawyer, Sloka said he'd perform skin exams on patients because there's a connection between the skin and the brain; he said there are some neurological conditions on the skin that would require such exams.

During his testimony Wednesday, Sloka was asked to detail the process of a skin exam, in which he explained that it takes about two to three minutes.

Sloka said that a patient would be in a gown either with nothing on underneath or wearing their underwear. He'd visually inspect the entire body, including their head and face, back and arms.

When inspecting the front torso, he said that he asked patients to lower the gown to their waist revealing their upper body. For larger breasted women he said he would ask if he could move their breasts using the base of his thumb.

In inspecting the legs, he said that they'd be fully exposed to the groin crease. He would've inspected the buttocks area during this time, and said that he'd get consent to look at the groin area, which he'd look at for about five seconds.

The defense had asked if he would touch the patient's skin during this process, and he said "rarely" – only if there was a lump, and he'd get consent beforehand.

Following complaints, Sloka told the court that he always had a chaperone present from around 2015 onward. 

Sloka also countered earlier testimony provided by Dr. Vera Bril, a neurological expert, who had objected to skin exams for a specific neurological condition of the skin. Bril had suggested genetic testing instead, but Sloka said that this sort of testing isn't 100 per cent accurate.