Current Residents
Evan G. Caston, M.D.
Dr. Evan Caston was born and raised in Dallas, TX. He attended Southern Methodist University and earned his bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry, Biology, and Health and Society with a business minor. During undergrad, he performed research in genetics and spent two semesters abroad in Australia and Italy. He then attended medical school at the Long School of Medicine, University of Texas in San Antonio, during which time he also earned a Master of Public Health degree. He loves traveling, and he is always looking forward to his next trip. Ophthalmology has appealed to him from a young age, and he is grateful to be a part of such a rewarding profession that has a profound impact on people’s lives. His passion for mission work and global ophthalmology was solidified during his fourth year of medical school on a medical mission trip to Peru, where hundreds of patients received vision-saving cataract surgery; he plans to attended several international mission trips throughout his career. Evan finds nothing more gratifying than restoring someone’s eyesight, and he will always be grateful for the privilege of performing eye surgery.
Laura E. Drew-Bear, M.D.
Dr. Laura Drew-Bear was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. She attended medical school at Universidad Central de Venezuela Escuela de Medicina Luis Razetti, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She then completed a year working as a rural physician before moving to the US to pursue an ophthalmology research fellowship at The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins, where she worked on multiple research projects leading to conference presentations and publications. She also volunteered at ViSION, a program that provided free vision screenings for Baltimore residents in underserved areas and assisted as an interpreter for Spanish-speaking patients. In her free time, Laura enjoys playing tennis and golf, trying new restaurants, traveling, and spending time with family, friends, and her dog Jack who is back home.
Jordan H. Held, M.D.
Dr. Jordan Held was born and raised in Hannibal, Missouri. He attended his undergraduate studies and medical school at UMKC through the combined 6-year B.A./M.D. program. He then completed his intern year in internal medicine at UMKC and joined the UMKC ophthalmology residency program. Outside of work, Jordan likes spending time outdoors and exploring KC’s parks with his labrador retriever, working on vehicles, watching movies, cooking, and making time for his family and friends.
John Mitchell Kunzeman, M.D.
Dr. Mitch Kunzeman was born and raised in Springfield, Illinois. He moved south for college where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Clemson University. He then returned home to Illinois where he attended Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. In his free time, Mitch enjoys golfing, trying new restaurants/breweries, cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals, and spending time with his wife and dog. He is also a huge college football fan and on Fall weekends you can find him somewhere in front of a TV watching as many college football games as possible and cheering for the Clemson Tigers.
Victor Correa, M.D.
Dr. Victor Correa grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, and earned his medical degree from Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), one of Brazil's leading universities. He completed his ophthalmology residency at UNICAMP, developing a strong appreciation for providing vision care to diverse patient populations. Seeking to expand his knowledge, Dr. Correa moved to Boston with his wife for a research fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear, where he investigated neuroprotective therapies for retinal diseases. He was drawn to UMKC for its collaborative, friendly environment, exceptional surgical training, and broad clinical exposure—qualities that align with his commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. Outside of medicine, he enjoys spending time with his family, including their rescue dog, Charlotte. In his free time, he hosts pizza nights with friends, cycles the scenic backroads of Olathe, KS, and explores local parks with his family, where Charlotte is always eager to take the lead."
Joel Gutovitz, M.D.
Dr. Joel Gutovitz is originally from Overland Park, Kansas. He studied human biology at the University of Kansas and graduated medical school at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. Joel did an intern year focusing on ophthalmology at the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan and also worked as an ophthalmic surgical robotics research analyst at ForSight Robotics. Joel loves spending time with family, playing basketball, and helping his patients to see and feel their best.
Dylan Hailey, M.D.
Dr. Dylan Hailey was born and raised here in the Kansas City metropolitan area. He attended UMKC’s 6-year combined BA/MD program and spent time with our department in the process. He co-founded a local non-profit during medical school that organized car shows and parades for charity, and the organization continues to do so today. He published an article titled Differential Expression of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways in the Human Choroid–Retinal Pigment Epithelial Complex Indicates Regional Predisposition to Disease. In his free time, he enjoys watching Formula 1 racing with his family, eating at local restaurants, hiking/camping, and playing various sports such as pickleball and golf.
Parth P. Patel, M.D.
Dr. Parth Patel was born and raised in Forsyth, Illinois. He attended Purdue University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, before returning to Illinois to complete his MD at Southern Illinois University in Springfield. He then completed his intern year in Internal Medicine at Michigan State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In his free time, Dr. Patel enjoys spending time with family and friends and staying active with sports. He is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, and college basketball, and especially enjoys rooting for the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, and Purdue basketball.
Dr. Priya Patel
Dr. Priya Patel was born in India and moved to the US at a young age. She was raised in Schaumburg, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. She stayed close to home for college, as she completed her undergraduate studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She then moved to Missouri to attend medical school at University of Missouri in Columbia, where she found her passion for ophthalmology. She continued to stay in Missouri to complete residency here at UMKC. In her free time, she loves spending time with friends and family, traveling, hiking, tennis, and trying all the different restaurants in KC with her husband.
Dr. Julia Reynhout
Dr. Julia Reynhout grew up in Beresford, SD and went to South Dakota State University for her undergraduate studies. Her passion for working in eye care began after undergrad when she worked as an ophthalmic technician at Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls, SD. She then attended medical school at the University of South Dakota. In her free time, Julia enjoys spending time with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, painting landscapes, hiking in national parks, playing board games, and watching Tottenham Hotspur try their best to stay in the premier league.
Dr. Will Bruening
Dr. Will Bruening was raised on an acreage outside of Sioux City, Iowa, and attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln before earning his medical degree at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he discovered his passion for ophthalmology. He chose UMKC because of its outstanding surgical and clinical training, supportive resident community, and the program's exceptional faculty. Outside of medicine, he enjoys hiking, backpacking, weightlifting, and spending time outdoors, and he recently completed a backpacking trip through Wyoming's Medicine Bow without a tent. He is also always trying to find the next best pizza spot!
Dr. Idaima Calderon
Dr. Idaima Calderon grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City for her undergraduate studies, where she earned her bachelor's in health sciences. She attended the University of Kansas, School of Medicine for medical school, during which she also obtained a Master's in Public Health. Idaima is passionate about improving access to care and providing high-quality care to vulnerable populations. Outside of work, Idaima enjoys Latin dancing, training in Olympic style weightlifting, reading, and hiking. She has spent time living in Dominican Republic and New York City, and she loves traveling the world with her big family and fiancé.