The 2025-2026 UMKC Department of Surgery Chief Residents celebrated their graduation on June 11, 2026. The Chief Residents gathered for a celebratory banquet with their families, friends, co-residents, and Department faculty and staff to commemorate years of hard work and dedication at the Crossroads Hotel. The Department of Surgery honored its graduating Chief Residents with presentations by mentors of their choosing. Additionally, outstanding residents from each class as well as faculty members from each institution were recognized for their meaningful contributions to the program.  

Resident Awards

  • Lingbo Fan Award (Chief Resident of the Year): Dr. Antonio Castillo Martinez 
  • PGY1 Resident of the Year: Dr. Susanna Hatcher  
  • PGY2 Resident of the Year: Dr. Lukas Bassett 
  • PGY3 Resident of the Year: Dr. Amani Raheel 
  • PGY4 Resident of the Year: Dr. Leila Sarvestani 
  • Douglas Geehan Trauma Resident Award: Dr. Antonio Castillo Martinez 
  • Resident Researcher of the Year: Dr. Kevin Yin  
  • Resident Medical School Teacher of the Year: Dr. Kevin Yin 
  • Larry Hays Award – St. Luke’s: Dr. Antonio Castillo Martinez 
  • Wallace Greene Award  - St. Luke’s: Dr. Abimbola Oyedejji 
  • ED Consultant of the Year Award: Dr. Amani Raheel

Faculty Awards  

  • Surgical Teaching Award – UH: Dr. Amanda Celii  
  • Surgical Teaching Award – SLH: Dr. Eric Tsung  
  • Surgical Teaching Award – VA: Dr. Kevin Durkee  
  • Faculty Medical Student Teacher of the Year: Dr. James Lau 

 

The UMKC Department of Surgery welcomes its new residents who started with the department this summer:

New residents for 2026-2027 - headshots with names and medical schoolsPGY-1 Categorical Residents  

  • Madeline Glodowski (University of Missouri – Kansas City)  
  • Malcolm Hinton (Saba University School of Medicine)  
  • Nicos Oropeza (AT Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine)  
  • Aurora Resop (University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health)  
  • William Scott (Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine)  

PGY-1 Preliminary Residents  

  • Haider Cheema (University of Missouri – Columbia School of Medicine)  
  • Jonathon Freeman (University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine)  
  • Angelina Miley (Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine)  
  • Tamunomiete Whyte (St. George’s University)  

 

Headshots of Megan Crotts and Kristen Kluber, transfer residents

Transfer Residents

  • Megan Crotts (A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, St. Mary’s Medical Center – PGY-2)  
  • Kristen Kluber (Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Baylor Scott and White All Saints Medical Center – PGY-4)