Mark C. Howard, MD

Dr. Mark Christopher Howard, M.D. is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine and minimally invasive, arthroscopic surgery. His areas of expertise include the diagnosis and management of athletic injuries of the knee, hip, ankle, shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Dr. Howard has specialized training and technical expertise in the areas of advanced shoulder and knee arthroscopy, cartilage/meniscus restoration, shoulder instability, fracture care, and orthobiologics/regenerative medicine. He takes a patient-centered approach to care and uses shared decision-making in treatment plans to help his patients meet their goals and get back to doing what they love.



A Monterey Peninsula native, Dr. Howard graduated from Stevenson High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and his medical doctorate (MD) from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Howard subsequently completed his internship and residency at the University of Southern California and Los Angeles County Hospital. He then chose to pursue further subspecialty training in sports medicine and advanced arthroscopic surgery by completing a year-long fellowship at the renowned “Orthopaedic Sports Medicine” program at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Howard has served as the team physician for USC Trojan Athletics, Wake Forest Demon Deacon Athletics, and Winston-Salem Dash. Since returning to the Monterey Peninsula, Dr. Howard assists covering Hartnell College and local high school athletics.

Dr. Howard is currently an orthopedic surgeon sports medicine specialist at Monterey Spine and Joint, and he is affiliated with the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. He sees patients of all ages who are afflicted with sports injuries or any other bone, joint or muscle need.