Dr. Megan Kortum

While on a medical mission trip to Nicaragua in college, Dr. Kortum discovered the immediate impact that an eye exam and glasses can have on individuals and communities with limited access to eye care. From there, her vision for a career in optometry was clear.

A native of the "Cornhusker State," Dr. Kortum earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While attending Southern College of Optometry, she represented the student body as a trustee to the American Optometric Student Association. It was while earning her doctorate that Megan completed an externship at Kapperman, White & McGarvey Eyecare. She quickly fell in love with the people of the practice and the Chattanooga community.

Always up for an adventure, Megan’s journey brought her to the United States Air Force. Commissioning in her second year of optometry school—and intrigued that pilots need the very best eye care possible—she set out to begin her career as a captain in the military. In addition to developing her skills as an optometrist, she learned invaluable leadership skills and was named the Air Education and Training Command Biomedical Sciences Corps Company Grade Officer of the Year for clinicians.

With a calling back to the great city of Chattanooga, Dr. Kortum joined the practice of Drs. Kapperman, White & McGarvey in 2016. She desires to continue her passion for medical mission outreach and most recently completed her fifth international mission trip. Megan was thrilled to accompany Dr. Kapperman on his annual trip to Honduras and hopes to make the journey with the eye brigade each year.

In her free time, Megan enjoys a good book, working in the yard, and last-minute road trips. She is married to Mike, who is an 8th grade Algebra teacher at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences. They have four young children, Will, Annie, Liv, and Clark. Their family spends as much time outdoors as possible and loves to travel.