William O. Walker, Jr.

William O. Walker, Jr., MD is the Robert A. Aldrich Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Developmental Medicine at Seattle Children’s Hospital. With over 30 years of clinical, administrative, educational, and research experience, he specializes in developmental disabilities with a focus on spina bifida and neural tube defects.

His educational journey includes:

• BS in Biology from Tulane University (1975)
• MD from Tulane University School of Medicine (1979)
• Pediatrics Internship and Residency at William Beaumont Army Medical Center (1979-1982)
• Fellowship in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics at William Beaumont Army Medical Center (1985-1987)

Dr. Walker’s research centers on the impact of neural tube defects on continence, technology use, quality of life, participation, employment, and educational success through the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) framework. He emphasizes practical solutions for families and long-term collaborative care models.

His 25+ year publication record shows consistent focus on spina bifida outcomes, with recent work addressing bowel/bladder management, patient registries, fetal surgery, and transition to adulthood. Key themes include healthcare access disparities, obesity in myelomeningocele, and bullying prevention.

Scientific recognition includes:

• “A” Proficiency Designator from The Surgeon General, Army Medical Department (1997)
• BG George J. Brown Mentor’s Cube from Madigan Army Medical Center (2000)
• Outstanding Teacher Award from University of Washington Pediatric Residency Program (2005)

As an educator, he has trained generations of pediatric specialists while leading national initiatives including the Department of Defense/Health and Human Services Task Force on Children with Special Health Care Needs (1993-1998) and NICHD-funded Management of Meningomyelocele Study (MoMS II) as Steering Committee Chair since 2011. His NIH and CDC-supported work focuses on improving ambulatory and community-based healthcare systems.

Dr. Walker directs Seattle Children’s Division of Developmental Medicine, which integrates clinical care, research, and training through the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry and multidisciplinary teams addressing lifelong disability management.