About Dr. Searles

What got me started

Growing up in a small town in Northern Ontario

Sault Ste. Marie is a small industrial town in Northern Ontario, where a multicultural quilt of nationalities demonstrates how a good life is created through community and hard work.  

Being the eldest of two sons, I had the typical elementary school experience.  I was small for my age, so I was not very adept at sports.  Instead, I found my interest was for more intellectual pursuits. Trying to fast forward through that socially awkward adolescent stage and get to the bright lights of university.  

My undergraduate days at the University of Waterloo were mercifully kind, I was successful in entering a professional program, and had completed my doctorate of Optometry at 22 years of age. However, I still felt that I was capable of more.  So, two years later I entered McMaster Medical School in Hamilton.  



The life lessons that I learned by growing up in a small Northern Ontario town taught me that a sharp focus on what you really wanted and the energy to work hard towards that goal were usually rewarded, and that you were only limited by your own imagination.  It was important for me to understand the basic principles on how things worked, rather than rely on sheer memorization of facts.  The McMaster Medical Program was tailor made for me, and my experience was the most energizing and fulfilling times of my academic career.  Upon graduation, I continued my passions first through my Internal Medicine Residency in Ottawa, and Dermatology Residency in Edmonton.

Some people seem to have a native talent for the work they do.  Others need to master things through hard work and practice.  For me, mastering the basic concepts allowed me to understand complex issues, and also made it easier for me to incorporate new ideas and concepts.  I also found that it helped me to teach others and help them to understand in ways that were unique to them. For me, this forms the essence of what a doctor stands for.

Afterlife

It is said that love can be found in the most interesting places.  I first met my future wife at the McMaster University Medical Library, or Club Med as it was known to us.  I followed her to Ottawa, and she then followed me to Edmonton. What started as a five-year pit stop in Edmonton turned into over twenty years.  We share our lives with our two Shetland sheepdogs, Meeghan and Aurora. Whatever free time we have is split between Edmonton, San Francisco and La Jolla, California.  

My personal story

Life can sometimes be ironic, and its lessons can sometimes be harsh.  But at the same time, it can teach you things that can only be learned through hard experience.  

When I was in my final year in Optometry, I had developed a small scabbing lesion on my nose bridge. I was referred to the local dermatologist, who removed the spot.  To everyone’s surprise, it came back as a basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer.  I was 21 at the time.  

I didn’t think too much about it at the time, probably because you think you are invulnerable at that age. During my first year of dermatology residency, I noticed that the skin around my scar was becoming harder and the skin would not move.  I had the area tested.   My old friend had returned.  Apparently, it had been running silent deep in my forehead all these years, and was now the size of a small orange. The cancer had spread over my forehead and into the left eye socket.  If the cancer was not completely removed, it could spread along the eye and eventually into my brain.  For me, the decision was simple.  I needed to sacrifice my left eye and everything in the socket to ensure that the cancer was removed.  One month later, I was back at Graduate School sporting an eyepatch.  

You learn to observe several things about human nature when you have a visible impediment.  First, children are very direct about their curiosity, and they are very ready to accept things and move on. Adults on the other hand, try to pretend that there is nothing different, but frequently assume that you are somehow diminished in your abilities.  I found very early that the only restrictions on my abilities were the ones I imposed on myself.  In fact, I found that many of my technical skills improved, partly because I was learning other clues in eye-hand coordination, which I would have taken for granted before my surgery.  

I was fortunate to have a large team of kind and dedicated doctors who took the time to carefully explain things.  While I was a physician and aware of the implications of each step, it was very helpful to have each of my doctors not gloss over details or take things for granted.  This was especially helpful for my wife, who was also going through the grieving process and the loss of potentials that come with losing an eye.  I came to know how therapeutic it is to have your doctor carefully explain things, and to have the courage to do the things that need to be done with purpose and compassion. This is what I strive to do each and every day.


Dr. Gordon E. Searles Credentials

About Searles Dermatology & Aesthetics clinic 

A passion for people and science

We are passionate about making patients feel better so that they can enjoy an enhanced quality of life. To do this, we make sure to listen to each patient then provide treatments and education in a way that is honest, respectful, and compassionate.

Gordon E Searles, MD, FRCPC founded Searles Dermatology & Aesthetics  (SD&A) in the fall of 2009. The practice is focused on providing medical dermatology services. That means we see pediatric as well as adult patients with conditions ranging from mild inflammatory or infectious diseases to autoimmune diseases and blistering disorders. We provide procedural dermatology (skin surgery) services for the treatment of benign and malignant medical conditions, as well as for restorative aesthetic procedures such as chemical peels, chemodenervation (i.e. Botox) and facial sculpting.

Whether you have a severe skin disease that requires hospitalization or are simply looking for a dermatology expert to enhance your appearance, our goal is to help you feel more well and more confident in your skin. From the minute you walk in the door to the time you leave, our staff works collaboratively to make you feel comfortable.

Dr. Gordon Searles sees patients at SD&A south Edmonton office, as well as at University of Alberta Hospital for acutely ill or hospitalized patients.