Dr. Willingham was born in Austin, Texas. He is a native Wacoan and attended LaVega ISD, graduating in 1992. After high school, he attended The University of Texas at Austin, graduating in 1997 with a B.A. in Biology. He then attended medical school in Chicago, Illinois at Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, where he graduated with honors and as a member of the Durlacher Honor Society. After medical school, he completed a 3 year surgical residency in Colorado.

While in residency, he performed over 2100 foot and ankle surgical procedures. His residency consisted of complex foot and ankle deformities including pediatric congenital deformities, multidisciplinary diabetic limb salvage and complex fracture repair. He also had exte...