Evan Neville, MD

Talk about your background and education.

I’m a local guy, born and raised here in Belleville, Illinois, about a mile down the road. I went to grade school at Blessed Sacrament and then high school about 500 feet away at Altoff. For undergrad, I went out to University of Kansas and studied finance. For medical school, I stayed at the University of Kansas but moved to Kansas City. Then, I did five years of vascular surgery training at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Why did you decide to practice in the Belleville area?

Definitely family and this being our hometown. My wife was born and raised here as well, and my entire family all lives within about a five-mile radius of here. It’s always been our dream to come back home, and so here we are.

Why did you choose vascular surgery as a specialty?

Actually, it was at Altoff. We had a senior service project, and I shadowed at the old St. Elizabeth’s. I was shadowing actually my senior partner, Hans Moosa. I went to high school with his son. So the first surgery I ever saw was a vascular surgery procedure, a carotid endarterectomy. I was absolutely fascinated by what vascular surgeons specifically could do for their patients and also the profound impact that the physicians have on their patients. From then, I knew I wanted to be a physician, and more importantly, I was pretty set on vascular surgery.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Spending time with my wife and kids. I have two kids and one on the way. I have 13 nieces and nephews—if I’m counting right—under the age of 12. We’re all about three miles away from each other. I like spending time with family and watching the Jayhawks and basketball.