Dr. Carmichael was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan. He completed his undergraduate training at Grand Valley State Colleges (now Grand Valley State University) in Allendale, MI on a wrestling and later an academic scholarship. Upon completion of his BS at Grand Valley he stayed an additional year to obtain a secondary teaching certificate.  He then moved to Raymondville, TX where he taught high school biology, chemistry and physics for 5 years. He also was the science curriculum director for the Raymondville school district and was nominated for Texas Teacher of the Year during his last year of teaching.  While teaching he attended graduate classes at Pan American University (now The University of Texas at Pan American) in Edinburg, TX. He obtained a MS degree in Botany and Marine Biology.

In 1990 Dr. Carmichael left teaching to attend medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch. Upon graduation from medical school he stayed on at UTMB to complete a residency in Orthopaedic Surgery. He finished residency in 1999 and stayed an additional year of fellowship at UTMB in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery. He has remained at UTMB since then and specializes in Pediatric and General Adult Orthopaedics. He is and has been active in several committees including graduate medical education and operative and other invasive procedures committees where he was the chair and subcommittee chair.

Dr. Carmichael is an avid runner and outdoor enthusiast. He is also a board member of the non-profit organization Operation Rainbow which is a non-profit organization that provides free orthopaedic care to the people of developing countries.  He has been on about 25 mission trips where he also takes residents.  He has authored or co-authored 35 peer reviewed publications and 7 reviews/book chapters.