The Fixer-Upper
Whether he’s treating a patient with a broken back or renovating an old vacant building, Dr. Mark Prevost finds joy in making things work better
Words by Terrell Manasco | Images by Blakeney Clouse
Mark Prevost loves to fix things. As an orthopedic surgeon, that usually involves wearing scrubs and a mask while repairing a spine fracture or disc herniation. But sometimes it means wearing an old T-shirt and jeans while replacing a toilet.
Mark grew up in the small New Hampshire towns of Amhurst and Hillsborough. He fondly remembers moving into and helping renovate the Hillsborough home built by President Franklin Pierce. “It's a very old house—it still had a pot-bellied stove,” Mark recalls. “My father and my brothers and I basically restored and modernized the house. I learned a lot about fixing things up—everything from electricity to plumbing to building cabinets.”
After high school, Mark decided to become an oral maxillofacial surgeon and was accepted to both dental and medical school in Oklahoma. He and his wife, Sandy, were married in 1983 when he was an undergraduate at Oral Roberts University. Mark started dental school but it wasn’t for him. “My brother was in investment banking, so I went to work with him for a while,” he says.
After college, Mark and Sandy moved to Florida and began raising a family. The birth of their first son was a watershed moment for Mark. “It was by C-section, so they let me in the room,” he recalls. “I kept looking over the sheet to see what was going on and kind of fell in love with medicine again.”
The experience inspired Mark to go back to medical school. He applied and was accepted to the University of Miami School of Medicine. “I thought I was going to be a cardiothoracic surgeon, but I fell in love with orthopedics,” he says.
After graduating in 1995, Mark did his residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. He planned to remain on the faculty as a professor after completing his fellowship—until he heard two words that changed everything. “My neighbor said he’d heard of this awesome lake in Alabama called Smith Lake,” Mark remembers. “We packed up our boats and kids and camped at Clear Creek and just fell in love with the lake.”
Mark and Sandy took trips to Smith Lake several times a year. It wasn’t long before they considered moving to Jasper. “I sent a letter to the hospital [Southern Orthopedic and Sports Medicine] and said, ‘You guys need a spine surgeon,’” Mark says. “I came down and met with [Drs.] Casey [Vague] and Eric Wouters and Gary Russell.”
In the summer of 2001, the Prevosts packed their bags for Alabama, this time for good. Before you could say “sweet tea,” they were introduced to Southern hospitality. Mark admits he initially had doubts about the move. “I was a little concerned coming to a small town, whether it could support someone doing just spine,” he explains. “I was amazed at how busy I was right from the get-go. I've been busy ever since.”
As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, Mark is qualified to treat and diagnose all varieties of injuries to the musculoskeletal system, with a special emphasis on the spine. “It's more of an intricate type surgery,” he explains. “Spine can be a very difficult field because pain can be a hard thing to treat.”
Even with the high stress level, Mark, says it’s a very rewarding field. “It’s neat when people have pain and you can fix the problem. It's amazing how much improvement you can get from pain,” he says.
Mark’s talent for fixing things encompasses more that treating abroken bone or herniated disc. Ten years ago, the Prevosts made their first foray into real estate by purchasing a commercial building on 19th Street and Birmingham Avenue. Then they bought another one. “We spent two years getting the old Woolworth building converted,” Sandy says. “We have probably over 20 properties now and over 70 tenants. It's become a full-time job for me.”
Their most recent property is “The Rock” building on 19th Street West. The structure is in severe disrepair and the roof and floor will have to be replaced, but Mark says the end result will be worth it. “You can't build the ambience of an old building with a new building,” he says. “You’ll have a modernized building with the aesthetics while maintaining the beautiful old brick walls. You can't reproduce that.”
Replacing a roof and installing plumbing may not sound like fun to most. For Mark, it’s therapeutic. “A lot of people think that's work but for me, it's a mental outlet,” he says. “I love just fixing a problem, whether it's a leaky toilet or something more complex.”
Now in his 25th year of medicine, Mark will soon be one of three orthopedic surgeons named Prevost. His son, Mark, 30, soon to start his final year of residency, will join his dad in two years. Matthew, 27, is finishing his third year of residency.
So why would a couple from New England stay in Alabama and raise a family?
“We just loved the people,” Mark says. “Everybody is just so friendly and welcoming. It's been a wonderful place to raise a family. Alabama, I think, is one of the best-kept secrets.” 78