Dr. Wilburn Thomas is a highly skilled and board-certified podiatrist with over 25 years of experience in medical and surgical foot and ankle care. As the Founder & Medical Director of Southeast Foot Care in San Antonio, Texas, he has dedicated his career to providing comprehensive, patient-centered treatments for a wide range of foot, ankle, and lower leg conditions.
Dr. Thomas earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (formerly Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine) in Chicago, Illinois. He then completed his initial residency training at the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSCSA) in San Antonio, where he trained under renowned physician, surgeon, and educator Dr. Lawrence Harkless. During his time at UTHSCSA, he developed expertise in diabetic foot wounds, limb salvage, and limb preservation, working alongside multidisciplinary teams, including vascular surgeons, infectious disease specialists, orthopedic surgeons, and internal medicine physicians.
Further refining his surgical expertise, Dr. Thomas completed an additional residency in podiatric surgery at Southwestern General Hospital in El Paso, Texas, where he advanced his skills in foot and ankle reconstructive procedures. Recognizing the critical need for specialized podiatric care in underserved communities, he established his practice in San Antonio in 1997, an area designated at the time as medically underserved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Dr. Thomas is board certified and a Diplomate of the American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery. He is among the few podiatrists in San Antonio to have served as active staff at two major Wound Care Centers, one of which he was the first podiatrist on staff.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Thomas has contributed to medical innovation and education. From 2005 to 2010, he served as a paid consultant to Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI), providing physician feedback for the development of a new generation of the KCI Wound V.A.C. system. He also played a key role in training hospital wound care and osteotomy nurses on the proper application of wound V.A.C. foam for diabetic foot wounds.
With a passion for helping patients regain mobility and improve their quality of life, Dr. Thomas remains committed to delivering the highest standard of medical and surgical care. His expertise spans conservative treatments, advanced wound management, custom prescription orthotics, and surgical interventions for a variety of foot and ankle conditions.
Through Southeast Foot Care, Dr. Thomas continues to expand access to specialized foot and ankle care, ensuring that patients receive personalized treatment plans that promote healing, comfort, and long-term foot health. His mission is to empower patients with knowledge, provide expert medical solutions, and restore mobility for individuals of all ages.
Professional Summary
- Board-certified podiatrist and foot surgeon with 25+ years of experience in diagnosing and treating various foot and ankle disorders.
- Skilled at interpreting diagnostic tests including radiographs (x-ray), MRI, CT, noninvasive vascular studies, and blood/urine laboratory results to help diagnose disease and provide treatment for patients.
- Skilled in podiatric medical and surgical procedures for a variety of soft tissue diseases and conditions of the foot including tumors, ganglions, neuroma, and lipomas.
- Skilled in podiatric medical and surgical procedures, including reconstructive foot surgery, bunionectomies, hammertoe correction, and bone fracture open reduction internal fixation (ORIF).
- Skilled in foot/ankle/leg wound care, sports medicine, biomechanics, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, sprains and dislocations.
- Skilled in the management of conditions requiring foot orthotics, diabetic shoes, ankle braces, and ankle foot orthoses (AFOs).
- Skilled in providing treatment for a variety of dermatological conditions such as ingrown toenails, verrucae (warts), calluses, and fungal toenails.
- Skilled at evaluating, diagnosing, and treating the feet and legs of patients with diabetes, peripheral arterial/peripheral vascular disease (PAD/PVD), lymphedema, and identifying those individuals at high risk for lower limb amputation.
- Strong patient communication & education skills, committed to delivering exceptional medical care.
- Admits patients to San Antonio area hospitals as needed for both in-patient and out-patient surgeries.
- Provides in-patient consultations for patients hospitalized with diabetic foot wounds and limb-threatening infections requiring necessary and urgent surgery.
- Attends continuing medical education (CME) programs and conferences to enhance professional growth and maintain Texas state medical re-licensure requirements.