Meet a Med Student: Corinne Gautreaux

Corinne Gautreaux

Age: 23

Class: 2026

Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama

Undergraduate education: B.S. in biomedical sciences, Auburn University 

What do you enjoy most about being a medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
I love learning with my classmates, as we all have varied backgrounds and unique skill sets that form a special dynamic to help us succeed both in and out of the classroom.

Are you involved in any research, organizations or other initiatives at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
I participated in the Medical Student Summer Research Program completing a project through the trauma department at University Hospital. I frequently volunteer at the Student-Run Free Clinic, and I am a member of various specialty interest groups. 

What are your interests and hobbies?
I enjoy taking walks around campus, reading, and attending Auburn football games (War Eagle!).

What is something unique about you?
I was a competitive gymnast and even had the opportunity to compete internationally!

Menger wins national Young Neurosurgeon Award for second consecutive year

Richard Menger, M.D., M.P.A.

USA Health neurosurgeon Richard P. Menger, M.D., M.P.A., has been awarded the Samuel Hassenbusch Young Neurosurgeon Award from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) for the second consecutive year. 

“It is great to be recognized for the academic footprint all of the faculty in the neurosurgery department are helping to create,” Menger said. “I really appreciate all of the work of my coauthors – Michael Rallo from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and incoming Whiddon College of Medicine medical student, Garrett Dyess. They are forming a great research consortium.”

The Congress of Neurological Surgeons is the leading organization dedicated to advancing neurosurgery through education and innovation. This award is given to the top socioeconomic abstract selected amongst the thousands of abstracts submitted to the Congress of Neurological Surgeons annual meeting. 

His abstract, “Impact of COVID-19 on Neurosurgical Utilization and Reimbursement,” looked at the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions placed on neurosurgery cases across the U.S. The states with the greatest restrictions completed fewer neurosurgeries and have been unable to return to their pre-COVID-19 baselines. 

Menger, chief of complex spine surgery at USA Health and director of the USA Health Spine Institute, is an associate professor and vice chair of neurosurgery at the Whiddon College of Medicine and an assistant professor of political science at USA. 

He focuses on complex spinal reconstructions for spinal deformity in children and adults. He performs minimally invasive spinal procedures and has a special expertise in the entire spectrum of state-of-the-art surgical and conservative management of complex spinal deformity and scoliosis. He is the lead editor of the textbook “The Business, Policy, and Economics of Neurosurgery.”

Grants development series begins Oct. 19

The Offices of Faculty Development and Research at the Whiddon College of Medicine have teamed up to create a new educational series, Grants Development: Nuts & Bolts. 

These one-hour sessions will be offered at noon via Zoom starting Thursday, Oct. 19.  

Register for the series to learn how to develop a funded research program.