Biographical summary
Dr. Mel Helgeson graduated from the United States Military Academy — West Point, Medical College of Wisconsin, Walter Reed Orthopedic Surgery Residency, and Thomas Jefferson University/Rothman Spine Fellowship, before returning to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in 2011 as an academic orthopedic spine surgeon. In 2024, he retired from the Army after over 20 years of service and joined Mayo Clinic. His clinical practice focuses on degenerative and traumatic conditions of the spine. His research interests include spine clinical outcomes and spinal biomechanics.
Dr. Helgeson served as primary Orthopedic Consultant to the White House from 2016-2024, Walter Reed Director for Surgery from 2021-2023, Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences from 2020-2024, and Interim Walter Reed Chief of Staff in 2022. He also serves as a consultant to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He previously served as the Chair of the Department of Orthopedics and Chief of the Spine Service at WRNMMC. He has deployed twice to Afghanistan. Awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Order of Military Medical Merit.
Conditions treated
- Cauda equina syndrome
- Cervical herniated disk
- Cervical kyphosis
- Cervical myelopathy
- Cervical radiculopathy
- Cervical spinal stenosis
- Cervical spine deformity
- Cervical spine injury
- Cervical spondylolisthesis
- Cervical spondylosis
- Cervical spondylotic myelopathy
- Degenerative disk disease
- Degenerative scoliosis
- Herniated disk
- Lumbar herniated disk
- Lumbar pain
- Lumbar radiculopathy
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Lumbar spondylosis
- Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament
- Pseudarthrosis
- Sciatic neuropathy
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Spinal abscess
- Spinal compression fracture
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal fracture
- Spinal metastasis
- Spinal stenosis
- Spine arthritis
- Spine deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylolysis
- Spondylotic myelopathy
- Thoracic herniated disk
- Thoracic myelopathy
- Traumatic injury
Procedures performed
- Cervical disk replacement
- Cervical diskectomy
- Cervical laminectomy
- Cervical pseudoarthrosis procedure
- Cervical scoliosis surgery
- Cervical spine fusion
- Cervical spine surgery
- Disk replacement
- Diskectomy
- Laminectomy
- Laminoplasty
- Laminotomy
- Minimally invasive cervical diskectomy
- Minimally invasive foraminotomy
- Minimally invasive lumbar decompression
- Minimally invasive lumbar diskectomy
- Minimally invasive lumbar foraminotomy
- Minimally invasive lumbar spinal fusion
- Minimally invasive spinal fusion
- Minimally invasive spine surgery
- Robotic spine surgery
- Scoliosis surgery
- Spinal deformity correction surgery
- Spine decompression
- Spine reconstruction
- Spine tumor surgery
- Spondylolisthesis surgery
Mayo Clinic locations
Education
- 2021
Other - Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers,Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- 2017
Other - Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute eMSM CourseMilitary
- 2011
Fellow - Orthopaedic Spine Surgery, August 2010 – July 2011School of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
- 2010
Residency - Orthopaedic SurgeryWalter Reed Army Medical Center
- 2005
Internship - Orthopaedic SurgeryWalter Reed Army Medical Center
- 2004
MD - DOCTOR OF MEDICINEMedical College of Wisconsin
- 2000
BS - Chemistry/Life Sciences
Engineering Sequence/Minor: Nuclear EngineeringUnited States Military Academy, West Point, NY
Activities and honors
Awards and honors
- 2017
Regional Finalist FellowshipWhite House
- 2017
LTC Claire L.Chennault Award Faculty recognition award for overall teaching excellence. LTC Claire L.Chennault Award
- 2010
1st Place Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Resident Research Competition.Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Resident Research Competition.
- 2010
Bailey K. Ashford Medal for Laboratory Research,2010 National Capital Regional Military Research Competition Robert A. Phillips Oral Competition.
- 2010
Graves B. Erskine Award for Outstanding ResidentNational Capital Consortium
- 2008
Harley and Betty Baxter Resident Paper AwardEastern & Southern Orthopaedic Association Meeting
- 2008
Finalist, Hibbs AwardScoliosis Research Society
- 2008
Poster Award.Congress of Neurological Surgeons
- 2008
Finalist, Whitecloud Award Best Basic Science PaperInternational Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques (IMAST)
- 2008
American Orthopaedic Association-OREF-Zimmer Resident Leadership Forum Selectee.American Orthopaedic Association
- 2008
Clinician Scientist Development Program Selectee.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation and Orthopaedic Research Society
- 2008
3rd Place, Resident/Fellow Award. Cervical Spine Research Society
- 2007
2nd Place Cervical Spine Research Society Resident/Fellow Award.
Intact and Odontoid Fracture Model.Cervical Spine Research Society
- 1996
Bronze Star Medal Military
- 1996
Defense Meritorious Service MedalMilitary
- 1996
Meritorious Service MedalMilitary
- 1996
Joint Service Commendation MedalMilitary
- 1996
Army Commendation MedalMilitary
- 1996
Joint Service Achievement MedalMilitary
- 1996
Army Achievement MedalMilitary
- 1996
Army Service RibbonMilitary
- 1996
Afghanistan Campaign MedalMilitary
- 1996
Global War on Terrorism Service MedalMilitary
- 1996
National Defense Service MedalMilitary
- 1996
NATO Campaign MedalMilitary
- 1996
Army Superior Unit Award (Walter Reed Army Medical Center)Military
- 1996
Meritorious Unit Citation (10th Combat Support Hospital)Military
- 1996
Order of the Military Medical MeritMilitary
- 1996
Army “A” Proficiency DesignatorMilitary
Professional memberships
- 2019 - 2020
Leadership Fellows ProgramAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- 2011 - present
MemberNorth American Spine Society
- 2011 - present
MemberSociety of Military Orthopedic Surgeons
- 2011 - present
MemberAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- 2011 - present
MemberAlpha Omega Alpha
- 2011 - present
MemberLumbar Spine Research Society
- 2011 - present
MemberAOSpine
- 2011 - present
MemberAmerican Orthopaedic Association
Publications