Interview with Dr. John Semple
Biography
Dr. Semple founded the Division of Plastic Surgery at Women’s College Hospital in 1988 and recently stepped down as Surgeon in Chief. He is Past President of the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons and Past Chair in Surgical Research at the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Dr. Semple is recognized nationally and internationally as a surgical clinical leader in Breast Reconstruction and was instrumental in laying the foundation for innovative models of ambulatory surgical care, telemedicine and education. He received an Honorary Doctorate from OCAD University this year as well as the Life Time Achievement Award from the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. He has a strong commitment in accelerating the overlap between Art and Science as converging disciplines and as a platform for innovation in areas that have been identified as a focus for improvement in healthcare and in the lives of his patients. He is also passionate about mountaineering and actively carries out research in high altitude meteorology and climate change on Mount Everest and The Himalayas.
Q: To start us off, can you tell us about yourself?
I’m currently a plastic surgeon working at Women’s College Hospital. I’ve been here most of my career since 1988. I was at Sunnybrook for eight years as Chief of Plastics and then I came back when Women’s College unraveled from Sunnybrook. They asked me to be Chief of Surgery at that time and to create an ambulatory surgical program. I was Chief of Surgery for 10 years and then Head of the Division of Plastic Surgery. From an academic point of view, I’ve been a Research Chair with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, which I’ve stepped away from now after 10 years. I am a member of the Institute for Medical Science at UofT, and I have an adjunct appointment at OCAD in their Design Health and Drawing programs which I am very proud of. I also have an adjunct appointment at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston related to my work in climate change and Wilderness Medicine. I’m married with four children who have all grown up and are not really children anymore. I still enjoy operating and seeing patients in my clinical practice.
Q: From your education at OCAD to your current work with your art exhibits, your interest in art is very apparent. What sparked your decision to go into medicine?
Many people think that it’s a real shift to turn from art to surgery and medicine, but for me, it seemed like a very natural progression. When I was at OCAD, I became interested in medical illustration and I enrolled in the medical illustration program at UofT. During that period of time, I started doing drawings for one of my surgical projects in the operating room. I remember that specific time as one of those “in the moment” experiences and found it absolutely inspirational. Coming from an arts background, I was amazed by the colours and the light and how shiny the cartilage was. I remember thinking at the time, “If I can do this for a career, it would be amazing!”
Q: Do you see similarities between your work and your art?
Everything I learned at OCAD in drawing and painting, I use every day in the operating room and when I’m painting, I use a lot of the things that I was taught as a surgeon. Medicine and art are really just a training in observation. Whether you’re holding a scalpel or paintbrush, it’s all about how accurate your rendering is and how much control you have. In both art and in surgery there is always room for improvisation.
There are certain aspects of [art and medicine] that are quite distinct, but I think that creativity and improvisation definitely provide an overlap. I find that over and over again, the most interesting parts of my career are when disciplines overlap. If you can find those overlapping areas, it’s actually a very interesting space in which to spend time. That’s where you can find answers to questions or problems that you wouldn’t normally find in the core mainstream of those different disciplines. When I’m operating, I’m not thinking about art, but I’m always trying to be creative and think of ways of improving what we are doing for patients. Creativity and improvisation are core elements to both [art and medicine].
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about your latest solo art exhibit, “A Sense of Place” – how did it come to be and what was the process of creating and curating pieces for an exhibit?
It’s my second solo art show. This [exhibit] in particular was different from the last because we are in the middle of the COVID-19 Pandemic. I felt that the title, “A Sense of Place,” was very relevant to what was happening. We’re all spending much more time in our homes, which is different from our pre-COVID experience. This exhibit was recognition of where we are currently spending most of our time. There are [paintings of] houses and buildings, but also areas where I have previously traveled to. I was trying to create an atmosphere and emotional response to the light in the landscape. I was joking to the gallery that a painting is like an airline boarding pass. It can actually take you on a trip to that location. At least that was my incentive: to make somebody travel to a place and experience its atmosphere and lighting.
The light in a landscape fascinates me. If you do it correctly, it can draw the person into the painting and re-experience the same things the artist was actually thinking of at the time. So this exhibit was trying to address our dreams of traveling while recognizing the fact that we’re all spending more time in our personal space.
Q: What qualities of watercolour make it your medium of choice?
Because I travel so much and enjoy hiking, backcountry skiing, mountain climbing, and canoe tripping, I was able to throw my [watercolour] paints, brushes and sketchpad into my backpack. In terms of traveling, the one thing I will say I like about watercolour is that wherever you go in the world or wherever you sit down to paint, part of the process is that you’re actually using the water from the location you are painting. In a sense, you’re actually incorporating the ecosystem of that place into the painting. The water from that site is mixing the pigments and being put onto the paper.
Can I just digress – when I talk to surgery residents about painting, I tell them there are elements within [surgery and painting] that are similar. Watercolour is fairly unforgiving. The washes have to be transparent and delicate, and you can’t go back over it. In watercolour, there’s something we call a “happy accident” where you don’t have total control of what’s going on because the water and the pigments mix beyond your control. In surgery, there’s really no such thing as “happy accidents.” In surgery, you have to have total control over what you’re doing. You have to be very careful at every point.
Q: You have mentioned that you are drawn to the qualities of light when you paint landscapes. How do you know when you have found the “subject” of your piece? How do light and nature interact to draw you in and inspire you to paint?
Really, that’s the joy in painting – playing with colours and light. There’s something going on in the viewers’ perception where they’re actually exploring it more from an emotional point of view. That’s the fascinating thing about light. If it’s painted correctly, then you’re drawn right into the picture and left feeling that somehow you were actually there. Art can be experiential and lead to a deep immersive experience.
Q: If you could only paint one more piece, what would it be and why?
I would have to know a little bit more about why it would be my last painting. The first thing that came to mind was a self portrait, but I don’t think so. When you start with a painting, you start with concept and objectives. However, sometimes after you start, the painting can take on a life of its own. It expands and develops in front of you. So to answer your question, if I knew it was going to be my last painting, it would be on a sunny afternoon where I’m not really thinking about that much and I just sit down and start painting. I’m not even sure what I’m going to paint, but I’ll start painting and I’ll start looking around – and suddenly you are lost in the process and the painting is carrying you away somewhere.
Q: You've taken quite an unconventional path into medicine. What is something you hope current medical learners can take away from your journey?
Medicine is a very demanding career and unfortunately many people feel that they’ve got no time to do anything else in their life. However, we all start with other interests and passions, whether it be art, music or sports. I believe that you have to somehow steal back time to pursue these other interests, and not just participate but to actively develop them throughout your life. Your extracurricular interests are not distractions. You have to be ruthless about keeping them close to you. Don’t wait to develop your skills and passions. It’s like mental yoga – it will make you a better person and a better doctor.
Q: What are you currently working on and what are your future directions?
Women’s College Hospital is now the designated Provincial centre for gender confirming surgery. I have been developing both research programs and transition related surgical techniques in top surgery for this program which is very rewarding. I will continue to be involved in post mastectomy breast reconstruction and research as well. I will develop my interests and passion for mountaineering and research in high altitude meteorology and climate change on Mount Everest and The Himalayas.
In a more philosophical direction I am committed to accelerating the overlap of Art and Science as converging disciplines and as a platform for innovation in areas that have been identified as a focus for improvement in healthcare and in the lives of my patients. The “painting” part of me, I hope, will continue to evolve.
