Students present research and artwork at premier neurosurgery conference

From left, Asa Barnett, Garrett Dyess, Chip Ogles and Christian Cooper attend the CNS annual meeting.

Four medical students from the Whiddon College of Medicine — Chip Ogles, Garrett Dyess, Christian Cooper and Asa Barnett — recently showcased their work at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) 75th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. 

The 2025 meeting, themed “CNS Connects,” is the premier neurosurgical conference focused on fostering meaningful connections in an increasingly complex and diverse field. The students contributed to the conference through a range of poster presentations, oral presentations and artwork.

Garrett Dyess

Ogles presented a poster titled “Antibiotic-Impregnated Calcium Sulphate Beads in Spine Surgery: An Analysis of 61 Consecutive Patients.” His study evaluated the safety and efficacy of vancomycin and gentamicin–impregnated calcium sulphate beads in cervicothoracic spinal deformity surgery.

“Despite greater surgical complexity in the bead group, the results demonstrated that antibiotic beads were safe, showed no metabolic complications, and were associated with reduced blood loss and shorter hospital stays,” Ogles said.

Dyess shared his research in both oral and poster formats. His podium presentation, “Neurosurgery Program Directors' Perspectives on the Role of Research in Residency Matching: A Qualitative Study,” examined how research experience influences residency selection. 

His poster, “What Resources Are Provided to Early Career Spinal Deformity Surgeons: Are They Sufficient for Sustained Success and Well-Being?” analyzed the support systems available to early-career complex spine surgeons.

“By capturing the support systems and resources for clinical care present at various institutions,” Dyess explained, “this research aims to help other surgeons identify which resources are most likely to aid their own practice, well-being, and sustained success.”

Christian Cooper and Chip Ogles

Cooper presented a poster titled “Assessing Price Transparency Features of Alabama Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Policy Evaluation.”

“Getting to share our work and be surrounded by some of the most exciting research in neurosurgery was an incredible experience,” Cooper said. “I’m so grateful to Dr. Richard Menger for making this opportunity possible, and I had a great time exploring Los Angeles with my colleagues.”

Barnett contributed to the Art of Neurosurgery exhibit, showcasing both a physical illustration of a sphenoclinoidal meningioma removal and a virtual illustration of the endoscopic retrosigmoid approach.

The CNS’s mission is to enhance health and improve lives through innovative neurosurgical education, advancement of clinical practice and scientific exchange. Positioned at the intersection of innovation and tradition, the CNS annual meeting celebrated the diversity of neurosurgeons across different practices, geographies and approaches, while reigniting the core values of humanism and compassion in medicine.