After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario) in 1991, Dr.  Shaw received his Medical Degree from the University of Ottawa (Ottawa, Ontario) in 1995. During his time at the University of Ottawa, he also entered their clinical research program and completed a second Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Sciences concurrent to his MD degree. Academic distinctions while an undergraduate included two Academic Excellence Scholarships, three years on the Dean’s Honour Roll, and the prestigious University of Ottawa Gold Medal in Surgery.

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Dr. Shaw went on to complete his training in General Surgery at Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia) in 2000 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada with a Specialty in General Surgery. At Dalhousie University, Dr. Shaw distinguished himself by winning an award for excellence during his training as well as accolades for his research into Laparoscopic vs. Open Hernia Repair techniques.

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Dr. Shaw started practice in Miramichi, New Brunswick in 2000 before relocating to Grande Prairie, Alberta and joining the Department of Surgery at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in 2006 and later also started working at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital when it opened in 2021. He was awarded a Certificate of Teaching Excellence in 2008 for his work with training Surgical Residents and went on to be appointed a Clinical Lecturer with the Department of Surgery at the University of Alberta in Edmonton in 2010. He was since promoted to an Assistant Clinical Professor with the Department of Surgery at the University of Alberta in 2020, a position he has held ever since.