PHOTOGRAPHED BY PATRICK HEAGNEY

Facial plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Walker balances family time with his thriving practice.

For facial plastic surgeon Thomas Walker, MD, FACS, precision and attention to detail come naturally. “I’ve always been meticulous with everything that I do. Whether I’m operating on a nose or simply ironing my shirt, I’m focused on the outcome. It has to be perfect,” he says. “My wife says I drive her crazy at home because I notice anything that’s out of place, but she is the first to admit that it’s probably the best trait to have as a surgeon because surgeries like rhinoplasties or face-lifts require that kind of focus, precision and attention to detail,” he continues.

A double board-certified facial plastic surgeon and founder of WalkerMD (thomaswalkermd.com), Walker was drawn to his profession because of his “fascination with nature and the human body, the complexity of the face and neck, and the delicacy of facial surgeries,” he says. Walker also appreciates the impact the procedures have on his patients’ self-esteem and quality of life. “Their smiles when the nasal cast comes off or their bed partners thanking me that their snoring resolved makes all the difference and keeps me going,” he says.

The Walkers and their children. PHOTOGRAPHED BY PATRICK HEAGNEY

Walker’s dedication to his craft means many long days in the operating room. His wife, CNN news anchor and correspondent Amara Walker, has an equally demanding career, often traveling to cover breaking news stories. The couple, who first met on Facebook (“thanks, Mark Zuckerberg,” quips Amara), has been married for over a decade and has two small children. Because they often work opposite schedules, Walker says they have to be intentional about setting aside time for the children—and each other.

“Family dinners are sacred. Our weekends are sacred. And at the dinner table, no phones on the table, except when I am on call, of course,” he explains. And the kids are very much part of their social lives. “We are those parents who drag our kids to our friends’ home for dinner, let them run around and play while we drink a glass of wine and dance to loud music with them, totally oblivious to their missed bedtime. We love these weekends because it’s great quality time together,” he says.

On weekends when his wife works, Walker whips up breakfast for the kids or takes them for rides in his bike trailer. In the summers, the family usually takes a two-week trip to Europe—Walker is from Germany—to hike in the Alps or enjoy beaches and food in the Mediterranean. Back home in Atlanta, the couple connects over weekday date nights at favorite spots like Rumi’s, Delbar and Sushi Eight, or enjoys foot massages at Treat Your Feet in Buckhead. In the end, it’s all about balance. “We both work very long hours, so we are constantly trying to carve out time for each other and our children while being thankful that we are thriving in careers that we’ve each dreamed of.”