Phil Whitaker (born 1966) is an English novelist, physician, and medical commentator.

Education and writings

Whitaker, born in Kent,Own webpage. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
/ref> qualified in medicine at the

University of Nottingham The University of Nottingham is a public research university in Nottingham, England. It was founded as University College Nottingham in 1881, and was granted a royal charter in 1948. Nottingham's main campus (University Park Campus, Nottingh ...

in 1990. He undertook postgraduate training in general practice in Oxford. He also completed an MA in creative writing at the

University of East Anglia The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a Public university, public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a campus university, campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and twenty-six schools of ...

in 1996. Whitaker made his debut with the

novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...

Eclipse of the Sun A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs approximately every six months, during the eclipse season i ...

'', which received the 1997

John Llewellyn Rhys Prize The John Llewellyn Rhys Prize was a literary prize awarded annually for the best work of literature (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or drama) by an author from the Commonwealth aged 35 or under, written in English and published in the United Kin ...

and the 1998

Betty Trask Award The Betty Trask Prize and Awards are for first novels written by authors under the age of 35 who reside in a current or former Commonwealth nation. Each year the awards total at least , with normally one author receiving a larger prize amount ( ...

, and was shortlisted for the 1997 Whitbread First Novel Award. His second novel, ''

Triangulation In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by forming triangles to the point from known points. Applications In surveying Specifically in surveying, triangulation involves only angle m ...

'', won the 2000

Encore Award The £15,000 Encore Award for the best second novel was first awarded in 1990. It is sponsored by Lucy Astor, presented by the Royal Society of Literature The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is a learned society founded in 1820 by King Ge ...

. Whitaker writes a regular medical column, and periodic essays, for the UK current affairs weekly ''

New Statesman ''The New Statesman'' (known from 1931 to 1964 as the ''New Statesman and Nation'') is a British political and cultural news magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first c ...

''. He has published influential pieces in th
British Medical Journal
on th
role of the GP
and on the future o
doctor-patient communication
He currently lives in Wiltshire. In 2024, Whitaker was awarded Fellowship of th
Royal College of General Practitioners
in recognition of his medical writing, in particular the part he has played in creating understanding about the role of the general medical practitioner among politicians, policy-makers and the general public.

Awards

*1997

, ''Eclipse of the Sun'' *1998

, ''Eclipse of the Sun'' *2000

, ''Triangulation'' *2024 FRCGP

Bibliography

*''

'' (1997) *''

'' (1999) *'' The Face'' (2002) *''Freak of Nature'' (2007) *''Sister Sebastian's Library'' (2016) *''You'' (2018) *''Chicken Unga Fever'' (2018) *''What Is a Doctor?'' (2023)

References

1966 births Living people Alumni of the University of Nottingham Alumni of the University of East Anglia British writers New Statesman people People from Wiltshire {{UK-writer-stub