Martin Whiting
|
|
Currently Martin is undertaking a PhD in Veterinary Ethics. His main interest is in how we treat animals and their moral status as perceived in legislation but he is also interested in the ways in which vets behave in practice. He teaches veterinary students and nurses in the ethics of dealing with the owners of the animals and of the animals themselves.
He is also involved in the VeNom Coding Group and work on the electronic patient record (CRIS) within the RVC.
Biography
Martin qualified as a veterinary surgeon from the RVC in 2006. He had previously intercalated in Philosophy and Ethics at King's College London in 2003. He also has a Masters in Medical Ethics and Law from King's College London.
Following an internship at Dick White Referrals and time working as a locum in a variety in small animal practices, Martin returned to the RVC to develop teaching materials for the undergraduate students, to develop alumni relations and to assist in the development of the RVC’s clinical records system (CRIS). Martin also undertook a significant research project on the welfare of companion dogs.
In 2009, Martin developed a new curriculum to teach ethics to the veterinary undergraduates, increasing their previous instruction by 27 hours. Whilst leading ethics teaching on this programme Martin has continued to develop the course for delivery to nurses and MVetMed students. Martin has now commenced a PhD on the justice of animal use. His long term plan is to develop a strong academic discipline in veterinary ethics.
Martin defines veterinary ethics as combining veterinary professional and animal ethics and can be interpreted as a critical reflection on the provision of veterinary services in support of the profession's responsibilities to animal kind and mankind.
Martin is also a member of the management and scientific committees of The VeNom Coding group. This multidiscipline and multi-institution team has developed and maintains standardised terminology for the veterinary profession to great increase our abilities for epidemiological research.
Research
Martin's primary research interests are in veterinary ethics (specifically that of justice of animal use and those questions relating to how vets relate to animal owners). His other interest relates to the standardised coding of veterinary terminology, through his work in the VeNom Coding Group.
Martin's previous project was concerned with canine welfare in Britain, specifically that of companion dogs. He completed a comprehensive information review highlighting the major factors that affect the welfare of companion dogs in Britain today.
Martin also sits on the RCVS VN Legislation Working Party, formulating advice to the RCVS, and ultimately DEFRA, on the formation of statute protection of the title of veterinary nurse.
Teaching
Martin is responsible for teaching ethics and law to the BVetMed students ethics in their first, third and fourth years and ethics, law, professionalism and animal welfare the PGDip Nurses.
Martin is also on the University of London exam board for the distance learning masters courses running at the RVC.
Selected Publications
Asher L., Buckland E.L., Phylactopoulos C.I., Whiting M.C., Abeyesinghe S.M. and Wathes C.M. (2011) Estimation of the number and demographics of companion dogs in the UK. BMC Veterinary Research 7:74 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/7/74
Wright A.J., Whiting M. and Taylor A. (2009) Letter to the Editor on the surgical castration of piglets. Animal 3, 1474–1475.
Foale R. D., Whiting M. & Wray J. D. (2006) Myositis and pharyngeal dysphagia in Hungarian vizslas. Proceedings of the 50th BSAVA Congress. Birmingham, April 3 to 6, 2008. Clinical research abstract.
Conference Presentations
Whiting M. (2012) "What should the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons viewpoint be on Religious slaughter?" Association of Veterinary Students, London.
Whiting M. (2011) "The justice of animal use." International Conference of Veterinary and Animal Ethics. London.
Whiting M. (2011) "The Justice of the Sociozoological scale." Mancept Political Theory Workshop, University of Manchester.
May S. & Whiting M. (2010) "Workshop: Professionalism and Ethics Skills." LIVE Educational Symposium 2010, London.
Whiting, M. (2010) “If we are not supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?” – EcoHealth Initiative. London International Development Centre, June 2010
Whiting M. (2009) "A pig is a dog is a rat is a boy." BVNA Congress. Kettering, October 9-11.
Whiting, M. (2009) “Pushing the Frontiers of Medicine – an Ethical Perspective” BVNA Congress. Kettering, October 9-11.
Outreach Activities
Martin visits secondary schools in and around London to talk about the Ethics of Animal Use within science and by the wider population. This is done by placing it in context of all forms of animal use including pets and farm animals to help the students understand the greater issues.