Class of 2023
Allison Drummond, M.D.
Dr. Allison Drummond grew up in Stillwater, OK with a comprehensive ophthalmologist father who began recruiting her to the field early on in life. She later went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. After graduation, Allison moved closer to home for her medical training at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, OK. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine here at UMKC prior to starting her ophthalmology residency. She has enjoyed exploring Kansas City in her free time, and has accrued many recommendations for great food around town! When not with her friends and co-residents, Allison enjoys relaxing at home with a book and her feline roommate, Crouton.
Mark Larson, M.D.
Dr. Mark Larson was born in Yankton, SD before moving throughout the Midwest. He spent the majority of his formative years in the Minneapolis, MN area. He earned his bachelor’s of science degree in chemistry from Creighton University in Omaha, NE before going on to complete medical school at the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. Before arriving in Kansas City for his ophthalmology residency, Dr. Larson completed an internship at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, jogging, and watching sports.
Hollister Swanson, M.D.
Dr. Hollister Swanson was raised in Kansas City and St. Louis, MO. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI, where he performed molecular research on antibiotic resistance. Then he completed medical school at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. His intern year was spent here at UMKC with the Internal Medicine department. He moved to Kansas City with his fiancée who is an OBGYN resident at UMKC, as well as his two cats Sage and Ginger. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking/grilling, disc golfing, and spending time with friends at the many great restaurants and breweries in Kansas City.
Crystal Truong, M.D.
Dr. Crystal Truong was born and raised in Riverside, CA where she enjoyed spending her days relaxing in the southern California sun. She then moved to Frisco, TX at the start of high school and attended undergrad at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She completed a BS in Biology while also working at her family-owned Vietnamese restaurant, then went on to medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, TX. Before starting ophthalmology at UMKC, she spent intern year in Chicago, IL. Now she likes to spend quality time with family, go hiking with her rescue dog, Jack, and check out what Kansas City has to offer.
Class of 2024
Spencer Cleland, M.D.
Dr. Spencer Cleland grew up in Stillwater, MN and completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He gained an appreciation for the eye while working with fruit flies to study inherited eye diseases before attending medical school at the University of Wisconsin. He then went on to complete a research fellowship in retinal imaging and ocular pathology at UW-Madison and internship at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI. He enjoys the outdoors, golf, tennis, carpentry, guitar, and spending time with his wife and their two pets, Minnie and Pippy.
Connor Ferguson, M.D.
Dr. Connor Ferguson was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at THE Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, where he focused on research in inorganic chemistry. He then completed medical school at Wright State University and an internal medicine prelim residency at University of Missouri-Kansas City. In his free time Connor enjoys spending time with his wife, Kelly, playing golf and watching sports–especially his Ohio State Buckeyes.
Matthew Hupy, M.D.
Dr. Matthew Hupy was born and raised in Wausau, WI. He stayed in Wisconsin and attended undergrad at University of Wisconsin-Madison. While there, he completed a BS in Nutritional Sciences and assisted in basic science research in the same department. He went on to earn an M.D. at the University of Colorado School of Medicine while completing a basic science research track project in ophthalmology. He prefers spending his free time hiking, running, climbing, learning to program, cooking, and making too many jokes!
Marc Mardelli, M.D.
Dr. Marc Mardelli was born in Kansas City, MO before moving to Beirut, Lebanon where he spent most of his life enjoying its beautiful nature and beaches. His recruitment to the field started at a very young age by his ophthalmologist father. He later went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Biology and completed his Medical training, both at the Lebanese American University of Beirut.
He completed his internship in Internal Medicine at UMKC prior to starting his journey in Ophthalmology. Marc enjoys his free time exploring what KC has to offer, traveling around the states visiting his close friends and family, watching his favorite soccer team, Chelsea FC, and playing on his saxophone.
Class of 2025
Carson Eisenbeisz
Dr. Carson Eisenbeisz was born and raised in Pierre, South Dakota. He attended his undergraduate at South Dakota State University, double majoring in biology and microbiology. He attended medical school at the University of South Dakota, completing clinical rotations on the Rapid City, South Dakota, campus. Following medical school, he completed his intern year at UMKC in Internal Medicine before joining the Ophthalmology Program. Carson has special interests in global medicine and participated in medical volunteering in Ghana, Africa, with Unite for Sight and in Northern India as part of the Himalayan Health Exchange. When not at work, Carson is an avid outdoorsman pursuing hobbies such as rock climbing, mountain biking, fly fishing, and gardening.
Alex Haueisen
Dr. Alex Haueisen was born in St Louis Missouri! He attended college and medical school at Case Western Reserve University where he majored in Chemical Biology. Following medical school Alex completed his Intern year at UMKC in Internal Medicine before joining the Ophthalmology Program. Alex worked with ReSpectable in Medical School, which helps distribute used eyeglasses to patients who need them. He also volunteered at a program designed to prevent delirium onset in hospitalized geriatric patients and volunteered on a medical brigade to Honduras. Alex played rugby in high school and actually started the rugby club at CWRU and played through college. He also loves music (both listening and playing in bands, etc), finance, and hockey. He is not married and does not have any pets, but his parents have a Chihuahua that is amazing!
Julia Hamad
Dr. Julia Hamad was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She completed her undergraduate degree in business at Indiana University. She then attended medical school at the University of Cincinnati, where she completed clinical research on anterior segment ocular pathology. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Kansas City, spending time with her dog Hazel, and watching sports – especially the Cincinnati Bengals!
Alyssa Coleman
Dr. Alyssa Coleman was born in Longmont, CO shortly before her family moved to Marshfield, WI where she would grow up. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Studies at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in Minneapolis, MN. She continued her tour of the Midwest by moving with her husband to Chicago, IL to attend medical school at Rush Medical College. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine here at UMKC prior to beginning her ophthalmology residency. She enjoys spending time with family, travelling, playing tennis, hiking, kayaking, and generally being outdoors.