Dr. Shaw joined the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto in 2001 as Associate Professor of Dermatology. His hospital affiliation is with Women's College Hospital in the Division of Dermatology. He received his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine in 1978. After two years of internal medicine residency, he specialized in dermatology, completing his residency at the Oregon Health Sciences University in 1985. He remained in Portland until 1996 when he relocated to the University of Chicago. There he became the head of the Division of Dermatology and the program director of the residency program and remained in Chicago until his move to Toronto.

Dr. Shaw’s academic interests have included teaching and clinical research. He has published over 45 peer-reviewed articles, and over 80 book chapters and other reviews. He is the recipient of several University-wide teaching awards. His main area of current interest is skin disease in organ transplant patients and immunosuppressed patients. In 2005, he published the book The Quotable Robertson Davies, his first foray into non-medical publishing. Since that time he has had numerous publications of essays about medical experience