Dave Whitley, DVM, MS
- Professor Emeritus

Biography

Dr. David Whitley is a native of Morgan County, Alabama.  He is a 1971 graduate of Falkville High School. David entered veterinary college at Auburn at age 20, in August 1973 and graduated with Honors in June 1977. He completed a Small Animal Rotating Internship at the University of Missouri, and residency training in ophthalmology at the University of Florida and Auburn University. He earned a Master of Science degree from Auburn in December of 1981, and later became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. David remained at Auburn as an Assistant Professor until June 1982, when he moved to the University of Wisconsin to became the first Veterinary Ophthalmologist at their new veterinary school.  In January of 1984, David was recruited back to the University of Florida, where he still serves as an adjunct professor. He was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor in August of 1988.

Dr. Whitley was appointed Professor of Ophthalmology June 1, 1989 at Auburn University. He earned tenure at Auburn in 1992.  David was named the J. E. Greene Memorial Professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine from 1994 to 1997; from 1995 to 1997 he was appointed Acting Associate Dean for Admissions and Standards.  He was also awarded Honorary Diplomate of the Latin American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.  David served as Department Head of Clinical Sciences from March 2003 to September 2006. In December of 2008 with 26 years of service, Dr. Whitley retired from Auburn University and was awarded Emeritus Professor status.

In October 2008, David was appointed Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology with tenure at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa where he served until July 2014.  At which time he rejoined the faculty at the University of Florida in Gainesville as professor of comparative ophthalmology without tenure. In 2017, he was awarded tenure at UF for a second time.  In September 2019 at the age of 66, he retired from the University of Florida and became a clinical ophthalmologist at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, Texas. He retired from full-time clinical ophthalmology in 2021. Since that time, he has continued to provide locums for clinical service, student teaching, and resident training at Texas A & M University, the University of Florida, and Auburn University.

Dr. Whitley has been involved in the training of 41 veterinary and comparative ophthalmology residents since 1983. My greatest enjoyment of my veterinary career has been the residents I have had the pleasure of training and students I have taught.

David is married to Elizabeth, also a veterinarian, a University of Florida graduate and Veterinary Pathologist. She has served on the faculty at Auburn University, Iowa State University and M D Anderson Medical Center in Houston; she also runs her own Diagnostic Pathology Company. They have two sons and one granddaughter. They reside in Ocala, Florida and Ames, Iowa.