Dr. Thomas Holovacs specializes in Shoulder & Sports Medicine. He treats patients and athletes of all ages from teens to seniors. Using state of the art arthroscopic and reconstructive techniques, he helps patients achieve their activity and athletic goals.
Why is Dr. Holovacs a shoulder surgeon? His first exposure to the field of orthopaedics and shoulder surgery was from shoulder pain and instability he had as an elite, teenage swimmer. As a young adult, Dr. Holovacs had four shoulder surgeries, which gives him a unique perspective into both the patient side and doctor/surgeon side of shoulder problems.
Dr. Holovacs' earned his BA at the Univ of Pennsylvania where he was a four-year letterman in swimming. As a senior he was elected team captain of the men's varsity swim team. Dr. Holovacs earned his MD from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons where he was selected to be a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society.
Dr. Holovacs completed his Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at Duke University Medical Center. While at Duke, he was an Assistant Resident Team Physician for all Duke athletic teams, including the 2001 NCAA National Championship men's basketball team. As a resident, Dr. Holovacs honed his shoulder expertise and sports medicine skills at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC.
After residency, Dr. Holovacs developed additional expertise in shoulder and sports medicine surgery when he was selected as the prestigious Intercontinental Shoulder Fellow. He gained more shoulder specialization through fellowships at the Mass General Harvard Shoulder Service and the University of Zurich, Balgrist Hospital in Switzerland.
Dr. Holovacs joined the Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery at Mass General in 2002 as a member of both the Shoulder Service and the Sports Medicine Service. His personal passion for shoulder problems as a teenager and young adult is now the focus of his career - specialized, expert shoulder and sports medicine care for athletes and active/athletic patients of all ages.
Motley GS, Osbahr DC, Holovacs TF, Speer KP. An arthroscopic technique for confirming intra-articular subluxation of the long head of the biceps tendon: the ramp test. Arthroscopy. 2002 Nov-Dec;18(9):E46.
Singh H, Osbahr DC, Holovacs TF, Cawley PW, Speer KP. The efficacy of continuous cryotherapy on the postoperative shoulder: a prospective, randomized investigation. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2001 Nov-Dec;10(6):522-5.
Pearsall AW 4th, Holovacs TF, Speer KP. The intra-articular component of the subscapularis tendon: anatomic and histological correlation in reference to surgical release in patients with frozen-shoulder syndrome. Arthroscopy. 2000 Apr;16(3):236-42.
Pearsall AW 4th, Holovacs TF, Speer KP. The low anterior five-o'clock portal during arthroscopic shoulder surgery performed in the beach-chair position. Am J Sports Med.1999 Sep-Oct;27(5):571-4.
Pearsall AW 4th, Holovacs TF, Speer KP. Efficacy of a Low Anterior Portal Established with Outside-In Technique for Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery. Arthroscopy.1998;25.
Reviews: Comments and Ratings
4.7out of 5(206 Ratings, 72 Comments)
January 2025
I thought my doctor, Holovacs, was very good, very conscientious, understood what I needed and tried to help me.
January 2025
I had my first appointment with him a couple days ago and it went great. About to have surgery in a couple more days and he answered all of my questions. He was very friendly. Dr. Holovacs is actually my second opinion doctor and he gave me more options, was more informative than the first doctor I spoke with. I'm just very happy and I feel very ... Read More
I had my first appointment with him a couple days ago and it went great. About to have surgery in a couple more days and he answered all of my questions. He was very friendly. Dr. Holovacs is actually my second opinion doctor and he gave me more options, was more informative than the first doctor I spoke with. I'm just very happy and I feel very confident that he will repair my injury and I'm looking forward to my recovery. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who is in need of any shoulder surgery.
January 2025
Excellent in every way. Very impressed with everyone I interacted with and decided I definitely wanted my surgery handled by Dr Holovacs and his team
January 2025
Great doctor. Operation extremely successful.
January 2025
The Surgeon, Thomas Holovacs is fantastic. He did my left shoulder in 2014. Seems like a really good guy as well.
January 2025
Dr. Holovacs was fantastic and his assistant. They were very informative and got straight to the point about me having my shoulder operated on ASAP. I would recommend them highly.
January 2025
Very personable
December 2024
Very friendly and very aware of my situation and I was very comfortable with what he recommended and what where we will be going from here.
December 2024
Very knowledgeable. Experienced. Did not over promise. Provided pros and cons. Easy to converse with.
December 2024
Great Doctor, attentive and kind. I will rely on him whenever I need that kind of medical attention. Great experience !
Please join us in congratulating the 13 Mass General orthopaedic surgeons named Top Doctors by Boston magazine for 2022. This impressive achievement is a testament to the commitment of our clinical team to providing safe, high-quality care while ensuring an exceptional patient experience.
I thought my doctor, Holovacs, was very good, very conscientious, understood what I needed and tried to help me.
I had my first appointment with him a couple days ago and it went great. About to have surgery in a couple more days and he answered all of my questions. He was very friendly. Dr. Holovacs is actually my second opinion doctor and he gave me more options, was more informative than the first doctor I spoke with. I'm just very happy and I feel very ... Read More
Excellent in every way. Very impressed with everyone I interacted with and decided I definitely wanted my surgery handled by Dr Holovacs and his team
Great doctor. Operation extremely successful.
The Surgeon, Thomas Holovacs is fantastic. He did my left shoulder in 2014. Seems like a really good guy as well.
Dr. Holovacs was fantastic and his assistant. They were very informative and got straight to the point about me having my shoulder operated on ASAP. I would recommend them highly.
Very personable
Very friendly and very aware of my situation and I was very comfortable with what he recommended and what where we will be going from here.
Very knowledgeable. Experienced. Did not over promise. Provided pros and cons. Easy to converse with.
Great Doctor, attentive and kind. I will rely on him whenever I need that kind of medical attention. Great experience !