Dr. James T. Howell grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas. After earning his bachelor of arts in biology and chemistry at Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, Dr. Howell received his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2005. He completed his residency at Hamot Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania in 2010 and returned to the South for a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Following his fellowship, Dr. Howell moved to Arkansas and joined the staff of Conway Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic in 2011 where he specializes in hand and upper extremity orthopedic surgery, including endoscopic carpel tunnel release, hand arthritis treatment, and minimally invasive shoulder surgery.