Todd Walker, m.d Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon
My decision to pursue a career in medicine began after undergoing open heart surgery to repair a congenital heart defect, which has given me a unique perspective as well as a great deal of empathy when working with patients. My history of participation in competitive sports and desire to work with athletes combined with my interest in new biologic therapies and the use of arthroscopy led me to Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. As a Type 1 Diabetic, I have made a personal commitment to providing the best possible care for patients and I take pride in remaining actively involved in the diabetic community.
I grew up playing football at Pflugerville High School and was fortunate enough to ultimately be selected to play in the 2005 U.S Army All American football game. This led to a full scholarship at Texas Tech University as well as selection to join the NCAA All Big XII Academic Team and the, ESPN NCAA All Academic Team. My college football career culminated with a final season playing at University of Incarnate Word.
I married the love of my life and best Cancer doctor, Ashleigh Porter, during residency in San Diego. We have a wonderful and very personable corgi mix named Lucy. My wife works at Texas Oncology at the Cedar Park and Leander locations. My father and mother were both educators. My mother, Darlena Walker, recently retired from Park Crest Middle School in Pflugerville and my father was a successful football coach at all levels. I have 2 brothers, Kirk and Grant. Kirk is a financial advisor and Grant works with Stryker Orthopaedics.
Outside of the hospital I love the Austin music scene, outdoors, movies and enjoying a cup of coffee from Morning Rounds Coffee! The first Coffee company made by Healthcare Workers for Healthcare Workers, where 25% of proceeds is donated back to Healthcare organizations. Check out www.morningroundscoffee.com
Education
- Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas 2021 - 2022
Shoulder Reconstruction & Sports Medicine Fellowship
August 2022 - University of California at San Diego Residency 2015 – 2021
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery - Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine Research Fellowship 2016 – 2017
Research Fellowship, San Diego, California - University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio 2010 – 2015
Doctor of Medicine - Texas Tech University 2005 – 2009
Bachelor of Science in Human Development & Family Studies
Research
- Article Publication: American Journal of Sports Medicine 2021
Ruoss S, Walker JT, Nasamran C, Fisch K, Paez C, Robertson C, Ahmed S, Ward S.
“Strategies to Identify Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Minimally Manipulated Human Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate Lack Consensus” - Poster Presentation: Orthopaedic Research Society 2021 Annual Meeting 2021
Ruoss S, Nasamran C, Ball S, Walker JT, Fisch K, Engler A Ahmed S, Angler D, Ward S.
"The heterogeneity of bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells in mouse is not present in clinical cell preperations" - Article Publication, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 2020
Siow MY, Walker JT, Britt E, Kozy JP, Zanzucchi A, Girard P, Schwartz AK, Kent WT.
“What Was the Change in Telehealth Usage and Proportion of No-show Visits for an Orthopaedic Trauma Clinic During the Covid-19 Pandemic?” - Poster Presentation, Orthopaedic Research Society 2019 Annual Meeting 2019
Walker JT, Ruoss S, Nasamran C, Fisch K, Paez C, Robertson C, Ahmed S, Ward S.
“Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) as a Source of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). A Single-Cell Transcriptomics Study.” - Poster Presentation, International Society for Stem Cell Research Annual Meeting 2019
Ruoss S, Walker JT, Nasamran C, Fisch K, Paez C, Robertson C, Ahmed S, Ward S.
“Strategies to identify mesenchymal stem cells in minimally manipulated human bone marrow aspirate concentrate lack consensus at the single cell transcriptome level” - ISSCR 2019
ISSCR - Article Publication, Lower Extremity Review 2017
Walker JT, Scarborough DS, Berkson EM, Salzler MJ.
“Minimalist shoes: Risks and benefits for runners” - Poster Presentation, 12th Annual Cell & Gene Meeting Mesa Symposium 2017
Walker JT, Paez C, Robertson C, Ahmed S, Goldstein L
“Characterization of Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) Using Single – Cell RNA Sequencing” - Keynote Speaker, Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center Symposium 2017
Keynote speaker at annual Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center Symposium on Orthopaedic Applications of Stem Cell Research.
“Characterization of Bone Marrow Aspirate (BMAC). Is this source of Mesenchymal Stem Cells as defined by the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT)” - Research Fellow UCSD/Sanford Consortium Regenerative Medicine 2016-2017
Research fellow under the UCSD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center Director, Larry Goldstein, PhD characterizing bone marrow aspirate concentrate and mesenchymal stem cells from patients undergoing an Orthopaedic surgery. Initiated and performed the following: writing research study IRB, research consents, literature reviews, study design, quarterly meetings and presentation with donor, experimental designer, obtaining samples, initial analysis, manuscript contributor. - Article Publication, Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 2016
Salzler MJ, Kirwan HJ, Scarborough DS, Walker JT, Guarino AJ, Berkson EM.
“Injuries observed in a prospective transition from traditional to minimalist footwear: correlation of high impact transient forces and lower injury severity”
Honors & Awards
- 2022 AANA 5th Annual Fellows and Chief Residents Course 2022
Full Scholarship awarded to attend the prestigious annual advanced skills course in Chicago, Illinois. Course focused on advanced arthroscopy and sports medicine labs with instruction By the leading experts in Orthopaedic Surgery. - Discovery Fund for Orthopaedic Stem Cell Research $200,000 team member 2017
Fund provided by the David and Janice Katz Discovery to provide support for Orthopaedic stem cell research at UC San Diego under the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery’s Chief of Foot and Ankle, Sonya Ahmed, MD and Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center Director, Larry Goldstein, PhD. Role as research fellow on team. - UCSD Resident Consultant of the year award 2017
UCSD Department of Emergency Medicine resident consultant of the year award based on responsiveness, professionalism, friendliness, teaching, and providing excellent patient care. - Collegiate Athlete & Full Scholarship Award - Football, Texas Tech University 2005 – 2009
Three-year letterman and wide receiver at Texas Tech University. Played 4 years under Head Coach Mike Leach with full scholarship. - Two-time Academic NCAA All-Big XII Team 2006, 2008
Selected for the award “Academic All-Big 12 Football Team-1st Team.” Only 97 players were selected for this honor in the nation. Selected by the NCAA Big 12 Conference. - 2006 ESPN NCAA All-Academic Team 2006
2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team. 1 of 3 Wide Receivers selected, also nominated to Academic All-American team. - 2005 U.S. Army All-American 2005
2005 U.S. Army All-American Football and Academic team 1st team. 1 of 20 players selected from the entire nation to be selected to both athletic and academic All-American teams.
Professional Society Memberships
- Hawkins Foundation Alumni Society
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
- American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
- Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA)
- California Medical Association (CMA)
- California Orthopaedic Association (COA)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Texas Tech Football Letterman’s Association
- American Diabetes Association (ADA)
Recent Meetings Attended
- 2022 AANA 5th Annual Fellows and Chief Residents Course
- 2022 MSK Ultrasound and Biologics Course
- 2022 Annual AAOS/AOSSM/AANA Sports Medicine Course
- 2020 AAOS/ASES Anatomic and Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Virtual Course
- 2019 ORS Annual Meeting
- 2018 San Diego Shoulder Course
- 2018 AAOS Annual Conference
- 2017 Sanford Stem Cell Symposium
- 2017 AO Basic Chicago
- 2017 AAOS/ORS Annual Meeting
- 2016 USC Orthopaedic Surgery Football Injury Symposium
- 2015 USC Body Computing Conference
- 2015 AAOS/ORS Annual Conference
- 2015 South by Southwest Conference- Health
- 2014 USC Body Computing Conference
Sports Team Coverage
- 2024 Ongoing Head Team Doctor Bastrop High School
- 2023 Head Team Orthopedic Surgeon for the Professional Hockey Texas Stars
- 2023 ongoing Pflugerville High School
- 2023 ongoing Texas Stars professional hockey team
- 2023 ongoing Pflugerville Area Youth Soccer League
- 2022 Colorado Rockies Spring Training
- 2021-2022 North Greenville University Sports Coverage (football, lacrosse, training room)
- 2021 Mauldin High School Football
- 2021 Clemson University Football
- 2020 San Diego Padres Spring Exit Physicals
- 2016-2020 Lincoln High Football and Serra High Football Coverage