Desmond Whalen

Clinical Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine B Sc., M.D. Memorial, CCFP(EM)

Emergency Medicine

Desmond is a Staff Emergency and Family Physician with Central and Eastern Health Authorities. His practice includes emergency medicine, low risk obstetrics, and medical administration. He completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biology and Neurosciences prior to receiving his Medical Degree from Memorial University. He completed a residency in Family Medicine in 2019, and his Emergency Medicine Residency in 2020.

He has held administrative roles with Central Health as the clinical chief of Category B Rural Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, and Emergency Medicine, all of which have included developments in the use of virtual care for rural emergencies. He has been the Vice President of Medical Services (acting) for Central Health.  Clinically, he practices full time emergency medicine, with integration of prenatal care and low risk-obstetrics and deliveries.

Desmond works with medical learners at the undergraduate and postgraduate level in both the emergency department and case room during clinical teaching. His research has largely focused on rural medicine, simulation, and rural recruitment and retention.

Outside of medicine, Desmond is the vice-chair of the Chapter Advisory Board for Make-A-Wish Newfoundland and Labrador, serves as the treasurer of the Shalloway Family Practice Network, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Labrador Island Link Operating Corporation, a subsidiary of NL Hydro (formerly Nalcor Energy).

Desmond has received the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award, The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, and The Canada 150 Senate Medal for his volunteer work and leadership activities.

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS - ARTICLES

Small, R., Fleet, L., Whalen, D., & Renouf, T. (2020). SPIRALS: An approach to non-linear thinking for medical students in the emergency department. Cureus, 12(8), e9727.

Parsons, M., Whalen, D., Mohamed, L., & Dubrowski, A. (2019). Diagnosis and management of an inferior STEMI: A simulation scenario. Cureus, 11(2), e3995 .

Black, H., Whalen, D., Alani, S., Rogers, P., & MacLean, C. (2018). ATV Injuries in Newfoundland and Labrador: A Retrospective Review. Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, 20(2), 207 – 215. , doi: 10.1017/cem.2017.51

Steele, M., Rourke, J, Bowmer, I, & Whalen, D. (2017). 50 years of education and research and MUN’s Faculty of Medicine. CMAJ Blogs. Online: https://cmajblogs.com/50-years-of-education-and-research-at-muns-faculty-of-medicine/

Alani, S., Black, H., Harty, C., Murphy, J., Whalen, D., Williams, K.L. (2016). Can we CanMEDS? Intangible learning through tangible simulation case development. Cureus 8(7), e685. doi: 10.7759/cureus.685

Clark, J.B.J., Whalen, D., & Marshall, H.D. (2016). Examination of hereditary hyperplastic gingivitis in association with superior fur quality in farmed silver foxes using canine microarrays and candidate gene sequencing. Genetics and Molecular Research, 15(2), gmr.15025363.

Renouf, T., Alani, S., Whalen, D., Harty, C., Pollard, M., Morrison, M., Coombs-Thorne, H., Dubrowski, A. (2016). City mouse, country mouse. A mixed methods evaluation of perceived communication barriers between rural family physicians and urban consultants in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. BMJOpen, 6(5), e010153.
This study was the recipient of the Canadian Association of Medical Education (CAME) Foundation Wooster Family Grant in Medical Education.

Whalen, D., Harty, C., Ravalia, M., Renouf, T., Alani, S., Brown, R., & Dubrowski, A. (2016). Helicopter evacuation following a rural trauma: An emergency medicine simulation scenario using innovation simulation technology. Cureus 8(3): e524. doi:10.7759/cureus.524

Whalen, D., Harris, C., Harty, C., Greene, A., Faour, E., Thomson, K., & Ravalia, M. (2016). Should I apply to medical school? High school students and barriers to application. Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine, 21(2), 46 – 50.

Renouf, T., Whalen, D., Pollard, M., Dubrowski, A. (2015). Emergency physicians think in SPIRALS. Cureus, 7(11), e381.

Mathieson, S., Whalen, D., & Dubrowski, A. (2015). Infant trauma management in the emergency department: An emergency medicine simulation exercise. Cureus, 7(9), e316. doi:10.7759/cureus.316

Whalen, D. (2015). #ALSIceBucketChallenge – More than a social media phenomenon: Impact on an ALS patient’s family member. CMAJ Blogs. Online: http://cmajblogs.com/alsicebucketchallenge-more-than-a-social-media-phenomenon/

Whalen, D., Angus, K., & Dubrowski A. (2014). Propranolol overdose: An emergency medicine simulation scenario. Cureus 6(8): e198. doi:10.7759/cureus.198

Dubrowski A, Whalen D, Steele M. (Sept 2018) Building simulation scholarship and research capacity in undergraduate medical education curriculum though deliberate publication. Simulation Summit, Ottawa, ON, CA. (available at: Dubrowski A, Whalen D, Steele M (2017) Building Simulation Scholarship and Research Capacity in Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Though Deliberate Publication.. Cureus 9(8): e.)

Renouf, T., Whalen, D., Dubrowski, A., Rose Dillon, D., Scantelbury, M., Harrop, V., & Baldacchino, G. (June 2017). Island-based research: Obstacle or opportunity. Harris Center, International Small Islands Conference. St. John’s, NL. Poster Presentation.

Renouf, T., Whalen, D., Doran, B., Paddon, D., & O’Maonaigh, C. (June 2017). Stories and tales in island based medicine. Harris Center, International Small Islands Conference. St. John’s, NL. Oral Presentation.

Renouf, T., Abbott, C., Morrison, M., Pollard, M., Whalen, D., Fleet, L., & Dubrowski, A. (June 2017). City mouse, country mouse II: Examining communication barriers between rural physicians and urban consultants in Newfoundland and Labrador. Medical Education Scholarship Forum, St. Johns, NL. Poster Presentation.

Renouf, T., Pollard, M., Fleet, L., Abbott, C., Whalen, D., & Dubrowski, A. (June 2017). SPIRALS: A new cognitive approach to clinical reasoning in the emergency department. Medical Education Scholarship Forum, St. Johns, NL. Poster Presentation.

Gallant, I, Whalen, D., & Dubrowski, A. (2016). Medical Students’ Experiences Publishing Technical Simulation Case Reports: Motivations and Effect on their Medical Education Learning. Royal College Simulation Summit, St. John’s, NL. Oral Presentation.

Whalen, D., & Harris, C. (May 2016). Disaster medicine in rural and remote areas: From Newfoundland and Labrador to Nepal. SRPC Rural and Remote Conference, Charlevoix Quebec. Oral Presentation.

Renouf, T., Whalen, D., Jong, M., & Dubrowski, A. (May 2016). Low resource simulation in rural and remote areas. SRPC Rural and Remote Conference, Charlevoix Quebec. Oral Presentation.

Stockley, C., Harris, C., Thomson, K., Jong, R., Grandy, J., Williams, K.L., & Whalen, D. (May 2016). Better health for the bay: A strategy for better healthcare in rural NL. SRPC Rural and Remote Conference, Charlevoix Quebec, Oral Presentation.

Renouf, T., Whalen D., Harty, C., Alani S., Coombs-Thorne H, Dubrowski A. (Dec 2015). An examination of communication between rural physicians and urban consultants in Newfoundland and Labrador. MESC Forum, St. John’s, NL. Oral presentation.

Renouf, T., Black, H., Whalen, D., Harty, C., Alani, S., & Dubrowski, A. (Dec 2015). Simulation for teaching communication and leadership. MESC Forum, St. John’s, NL. Poster presentation.

Renouf, T., Whalen, D., Dubrowski, A., Rose Dillon, D., Scantelbury, M., Harrop, V., & Baldacchino, G. (Dec 2015). Island-based research: Obstacle or opportunity. MESC Forum, St. John’s, NL. Poster presentation.

Whalen, D., Harty, C., Black, H., Murphy, J., Alani, S., Renouf, T., Dubrowski, A. (Dec 2015). Student based research in medical simulation: Extending CanMEDS beyond the undergraduate medical curriculum. MESC Forum, St. John’s, NL. Poster presentation.

Renouf, T., Whalen, D., Pollard, M., Dubrowski, A. (Dec 2015). Emergency doctors think in spirals. MESC Forum, St. John’s, NL. Poster presentation.

Whalen, D., Harty, C., Black, H., Murphy, J., Alani, S., Renouf, T., Dubrowski, A. (Nov 2015). Uniquely interwoven for success: A students perspective from an active simulation research unit. Royal College Simulation Summit, Banff, Alberta. Poster presentation.

Renouf, T., Whalen D., Harty, C., Alani S., Coombs-Thorne H, Dubrowski A. (Sept 2015) Country Mouse and City Mouse, an examination of communication between rural physicians and urban consultants. AMEE, Glascow, Scotland. Poster presentation. http://www.amee.org/amee-news/amee-2015-abstract-book

Whalen, D., Black, H., Alani, S., Rogers, P., & MacLean, C. (Feb 2015). All-terrain vehicle injuries and deaths in Newfoundland and Labrador: A retrospective review. Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians Annual Conference. Edmonton, AB . Poster Presentation. Peer Reviewed.

Stockely, C., Milton, K., Thomson, K., Roche, K., King, B., Bilinsky, L., Parahar, R., Anstey, R., Willaims, K.L., Harty, C., & Whalen, D. (March 2015). The Grand Seduction: A student outreach workshop on rural recruitment and retention. Society of Rural Physicians of Canada, Rural and Remote Conference, Montreal, Quebec. Workshop session. Presented by Stockely, C., Milton, K., Thomson, K., Roche, K., King, B., Bilinsky, L., Parahar, R., Anstey, R., Willaims, K.L. Work significantly contributed to delivery of presentation.

Dubrowski, A., Renouf, T., Whalen, D., Jong, M. (April 2015). Simulation for rural and low resource training. 13th WONCA Rural, Breaking Down Barriers: Bringing People Together. Dubrovnik, Croatia. Workshop session.

Whalen, D., Harris, C., Greene, A., Harty, C., Faour, E., & Ravalia, M. (April 2015). Should I Apply to Medical School? Barriers of Applying to Medical School as Perceived by Rural and Urban Students. 13th WONCA Rural, Breaking Down Barriers: Bringing People Together. Dubrovnik, Croatia. Poster Presentation. Peer Reviewed.

Whalen, D., Black, H., Rogers, P., & Maclean, C. (Feb 2015). ATV Injuries in Newfoundland and Labrador: A Retrospective Review. Conference of Atlantic Canada Medical Schools. St. John’s, NL. Poster Presentation.

Greene, A., Harris, C., Slade, L., Whalen, D., Faour, E., & Harty, C. (2014). Should I apply for Medical School? A look into how rural students perceive barriers. Society of Rural Physicians Annual Conference. Banff, AB . Poster Presentation. First Place Presentation – Resident's Category. Peer Reviewed.

Greene, A., Harris, C., Slade, L., Whalen, D., Faour, E., & Harty, C. (2014). Should I apply for Medical School? A look into how rural and urban students perceive barriers to acceptance. Medical Education Scholarship Forum. St. John’s, NL . Poster Presentation. Peer Reviewed.