
Peter M. Prokopis, M.D.
Specialties:
Hand and Upper ExtremityFellowship:
About Dr. Prokopis
Dr. Prokopis is an orthopedic surgeon who concentrates his practice entirely on problems in the hand and upper extremity. Originally from Boston, he received his bachelor of arts degree at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. He then completed his master of arts degree at the Boston University School of Medicine where he did basic science research in immunology for his master’s thesis. Before medical school, he was a high school science teacher in Marblehead, MA.
In 1999, he graduated with his doctor of medicine degree from the Boston University School of Medicine. While there, he participated in orthopedic surgery research with the Boston University team physician Dr. Anthony Schepsis, with whom he authored his first paper. He then spent five rigorous years in the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program at Boston University School of Medicine. He was fortunate to be trained by some of the experts in orthopedic surgery. For example, he learned basic orthopedic science from his world-renowned chairman Dr. Thomas A. Einhorn, as well as intense orthopedic trauma and fracture training from nationally recognized traumatologist Dr. Paul Tornetta. His interest in the hand and upper extremity was sparked by his experience at the Lahey Clinic where his mentors remarked that he had a special gift that he should pursue. During training, he spent 6 ½ months at the Shriners Hospital where he did outreach clinics in Puerto Rico as well as the Dominican Republic.
His fellowship training was performed at the world-famous Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. At HSS, he spent time with pioneers in the field of hand, upper extremity, and microvascular surgery. Under the direction of nationally known Dr. Scott W. Wolfe, this elite fellowship provided incredible training. Dr. Prokopis was a senior clinical associate in orthopedic surgery for Weill Cornell Medicine, teaching the physicians of tomorrow. He was privileged to work intensely one on one with world-famous Dr. Andrew J. Weiland where he was fortunate to gain what Dr. Weiland has learned in his over 30 years of experience dealing with disorders of the hand and upper extremity. He spent dedicated time with Dr. Robert N. Hotchkiss, a pioneer in elbow surgery who has helped to change the way orthopedic surgeons view the elbow and its disorders. Dr. Edward Athanasian is unique for his diversified training in hand surgery as well as orthopedic oncology. Under the direction of Dr. Athanasian, Dr. Prokopis worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as part of his fellowship training. He also participated in caring for the New York Giants and New York Mets.
Dr. Prokopis is board-certified with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is an active member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. In 2011, he was awarded the Certification of Added Qualifications in Surgery of the Hand. He is also a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Massachusetts Medical Society.
Although Dr. Prokopis has extensive training in state-of-the-art surgical treatment for problems in the hand and upper extremity, he is very conservative in the treatment of his patients. He strives to answer all of his patients’ questions as clearly and concisely as possible. He will maximize nonsurgical methods of treatment for his patients prior to recommending surgical treatment. He regularly treats patients with injections, custom splints, dedicated hand and occupational therapy, and medications to maximize relief without surgery. When these methods do not provide relief, Dr. Prokopis will discuss, at length, the potential surgical options for his patients. These options include minimally invasive surgical techniques as well as reconstructive procedures for the entire upper extremity.
A caring and compassionate physician and surgeon, he is also intensely dedicated to his family. He enjoys being active and is an avid runner who completed the grueling 2005 Boston Marathon.
Credentials
Postgraduate Training
- Fellowship in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 2004 – 2005
- Residency in Orthopedic Surgery: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 2000 – 2004
- Internship in General Surgery: Boston University, Boston, MA, 1999 – 2000
Education
- Doctorate of Medicine: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 1999
- Master of Arts in Medical Sciences: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 1994
- Bachelor of Arts: College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, 1992
Certification
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Certification of Added Qualifications in Surgery of the Hand (CAQH)
Professional Memberships
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
- American Society for Surgery of the Hand, Active Member
- Massachusetts Medical Society
Locations
1 Orthopedics Drive
2nd Floor
Peabody, MA 01960
United States20 Henry Graf Jr. Road
Suite # 201
Newburyport, MA 01950-9998
United States
Patient Reviews
“I love Dr. Prokopis. He has been taking great care of me for a while.”
– Anne N.