For Lincoln native, Dr. Geoffrey Basler, returning to his roots was not always self-evident. Dr. Basler graduated in 1988 from Lincoln Southeast then left Nebraska to attend Kenyon College in Ohio. He graduated magna cum laude, an All-American in swimming and water polo, and a member of 4 NCAA Champion swim teams. During that time, he realized that his interest in science and desire to help others lent itself perfectly to a career in medicine.
While attending University of Michigan medical school, Dr. Basler discovered that the visual nature of dermatology, and its nascent sub-discipline, dermatologic surgery, were of particular appeal. Dr. Basler took a training position with the world’s leading dermatologic surgeon, Dr. Neil Swanson, at the University of Oregon. He finished his medical training with a fellowship in Melanoma at UCSF/Stanford University.
Dr. Basler strongly considered a career in academics. However, when considering the limited opportunities for direct patient contact in a University setting, the real need for his unique dermatologic skills in Southeast Nebraska, and the chance to care for people back “home,” the return to Lincoln was an obvious decision.
He has since founded Complete Family dermatology with their primary office located near Southpointe. He is also serving the communities of North Lincoln, York, Beatrice, Fremont and Nebraska City. Dr. Basler and his team focus entirely on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of skin cancer and skin disease. Dr. Basler has constantly been challenged to educate the public that there is no reason to suffer needlessly from acute or chronic skin inflammation, or to wait too long before getting skin cancer treated. Their dedication to serving patients is also reflected in their free dermatology clinic at the Lincoln City Mission.
Tell me a little about your family – Family life is relatively simple. I’ve been married for seven and a half years to the love of my life, Becca. We have two “children”: Opie and Hobbs, 7 and 6 year old golden retrievers.
What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? – That’s easy: meeting, courting and marrying my wife.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – Sleep in, have a late breakfast with my wife, take the dogs for a walk, and go for a long bike ride through Wilderness Park.
What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? – Of the 60 interns at Emory University, I was the only one working the trauma zone of Atlanta’s inner city hospital, Grady Memorial, the night the Centennial Park bomb exploded during the 1996 Summer Olympics.
What is the one goal you would most like to accomplish? – Create a Cutaneous Oncology clinic focusing on Melanoma patients and organ transplant recipients. Melanoma patients demand a multi-specialty approach that is often lacking. Transplant patients are uniquely susceptible to skin cancer due to their immune suppressant medications.
How would your friends describe you? – Incredibly humble and handsome. Or maybe just a wise guy.
Which talent would you most like to have? – Fluency in Spanish
What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? – The Story of Civilization Volume III: Caesar and Christ, by Will Durant.
What is your movie? – I love movies so this question is almost impossible to answer. Comedy: Swingers, Drama: Forest Gump, Date Night: Pride and Prejudice.
What is your favorite TV show? – Lost
What is your favorite Lincoln restaurant? – Blue Orchid
If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? – George Washington
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