Surgery

James W. Kim, MD, earned his undergraduate degree at the City College of the City University of New York and his medical degree from the College of Medicine at SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse. He completed his residency through the Brown University program in internal medicine and his fellowship at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Kim is board certified in gastroenterology and is an active member of the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Dr. Kim chose to work in medicine after being introduced to a medical program by a group of friends and working in a hospital during high school. His passion for patients and GI has led to a career that spans over 20 years.
“After doing a GI rotation, I realized all the different ways I could help my patients. All those ways excited me.”
His special interests include various esophageal disorders including GERD, eosinophilic esophagitis, achalasia, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer screenings, celiac disease, Hepatitis B and C, and Crohn’s disease.
Prior to joining LMH Health, Dr. Kim worked at Saint Luke’s. He wanted to be where patients and a community really needed a GI specialist, such as a community hospital.
“I want to be able to talk to my patients on a first name basis and assure them that procedures are being done as a preventative measure.”

Dr. Bennett joined Lawrence OB-GYN in 2011.  She earned her medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 2006 and completed here OB-GYN internship in 2007.  Her residency was completed in 2010 at the University of Utah Hospitals & Clinic, Salt Lake City, Utah, where she also worked as a clinical instructor in the OB-GYN department. 

Aaron Doonan, MD, earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Washburn University and his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic and cardiology training at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Doonan is a member of the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions.

“During high school when I was working on a project about my future career, my father recommended that I look into being a doctor. It was a good recommendation, given where I am today.”

Doonan decided to become a cardiologist because he wanted to be part of hands-on interventions. He has a special interest in complex coronary artery disease and cardiogenic shock.

“There is something special about being a part of a patient’s recovery. It’s an amazing feeling to get to watch them interact with their family and do what they love.”

Patrick “Cole” McGregor, MD, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago and a clinical fellowship at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center-Campbell Clinic in Memphis. 
“Growing up with a surgeon father, I was able to see the positive impact he had on our community. I chose to pursue medicine in order to help people get back to doing what they love.”
McGregor specializes in foot and ankle orthopedics. He believes that motion is the key to enjoying life. His goal is to work with patients to find both non-surgical and surgical options that will help get them back to doing what they love.
Outside of work, McGregor enjoys chasing around his three children and spending time with his wife, Liz. On the weekends he can be found cheering on the Jayhawks and Chiefs

Dr. Adam Goodyear is a native of Kansas who grew up in Auburn, a small town southwest of Topeka. Although he has lived in Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado, he considers Kansas home and came back to care for its wonderful people.
His areas of interest are hip and knee replacement and revision, as well as non-operative management of arthritic hip and knee conditions.
“For the most part, people that have arthritis that need a replacement will typically get great relief with one of these surgeries,” he said. “There have been a lot of knee and hip replacements put in throughout the years and a lot of them that will need to be revised. I like the opportunity to offer that service to patients as well.”
After earning his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, Dr. Goodyear completed a residency at the University of Kansas Hospital in Orthopedic surgery and a fellowship in adult reconstruction at the University of Colorado Hospital and Denver Health.
Why should patients choose OrthoKansas?
“The patient experience is what we like to go back to. We have a good team here, not just the physicians but our physician assistants, physical therapists, medical assistants, nurses - everybody is on board with helping each patient individually,” he said. “We want to give you the broadest orthopedic experience you can have and be able to offer every service orthopedically that there is to offer. We want to be a regional orthopedic center and we do everything we do very well.”

Dr. Konie completed his surgical residency at the University of Missouri in Columbia and earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas. He graduated cum laude with a degree in psychoneuroimmunology and a minor in chemistry from Lake Forest College. Dr. Konie is a board-certified general surgeon, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the American Medical Association. 
Dr. Konie and his wife Kate, a Lawrence native, have two children and enjoy spending time at Clinton Lake.  Dr. Konie is an Eagle Scout and the leader of his son’s Cub Scout den, he plays piano, speaks some Japanese, likes power tools and DIY projects around the house and likes to travel to warm places with good scuba diving.
What Dr. Konie wants patients to know:  “It’s said over and over again but it can’t be overstated, one of the most important things is to listen to patients and understand them as individuals. This is done by finding out what they need, what’s important to them, what outcomes they expect, what they know and what they don’t know and making sure they understand everything and get all their questions answered. It really takes a comprehensive approach to understand patients as individuals before we can decide, together, if surgery can help.”

Alka Hudson, MD, earned her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She completed her internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship at Baylor University Medical Center.
Board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology, Dr. Hudson is also a diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She began practicing gastroenterology in the Kansas City metro in 2010 and joined Lawrence GI Consultants in 2024.
Dr. Hudson has been recognized multiple times by Castle Connolly, receiving the honor of Top Doctor in Gastroenterology in Kansas City and being named to their Exceptional Women in Medicine list.
Dr. Hudson chose gastroenterology because it perfectly blends clinical and procedural medicine.
“One of the things I enjoy most about my work is the diversity of patients I see. Being part of my patients’ journeys—whether through preventative screenings or treating chronic diseases—allows me to make a meaningful impact in their lives and the broader community.”
Fluent in Spanish, Dr. Hudson is also the mother of two vibrant children who keep her busy outside of work.

Dr. Park earned his bachelor's degree in cell biology from the University of Kansas, and he earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine.  He completed his residency in General Surgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center.  Dr. Park has been a surgeon in the Topeka and Shawnee Mission areas since 2002.  He is board-certified in general surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. 

Amy Watkins, PA-C, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and graduated from Wichita State University with a Master of Physician Assistant degree.

Jennifer Hawasli, MD, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and earned her medical degree from Texas Tech Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and her fellowship in Oncological Breast Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine.
Dr. Hawasli focuses mostly on breast cancer, but also sees patients with benign breast disease and patients at higher risk of breast cancer to make sure it is caught early on when it is still very treatable. She says the comprehensive care and tools LMH Health offers for oncology patients is just one reason she recommends Lawrence Breast Specialists.
“My philosophy of care is truly about giving my patients power over their diagnosis. I want my patients to know about the disease, how we treat it and outcomes from those treatments.”
Dr. Hawasli is an active member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, Association of Women Surgeons and American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Richard Arnspiger is a board-certified vascular surgeon with more than 40 years of experience treating patients with blood vessel conditions. Dr. Arnspiger completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his residency at St. Luke's Hospital of Kansas City.

He is passionate about providing personalized care to each patient, taking the time to explain treatment options and answer questions. His approach combines the latest surgical techniques with compassionate patient care.

Dr. Scarlett Aldrich, a Kansas City native, earned a bachelor’s degree in human biology from the University of Kansas in 2008 before graduating from the KU School of Medicine in 2012. Prior to joining Plastic Surgery Specialists of Lawrence, Aldrich served as chief resident at the University of Kansas plastic surgery residency training program. 

“When I first came to town, and I’ve been here for many years, I did pretty much anything and everything – sports medicine, ACL reconstructions, fractures and trauma. As we’ve added new doctors in our group – most of whom are fellowship-trained in these other areas – I’ve been able to drift toward my interest, which is joint replacement.”
Dr. Richard Wendt is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with special interests in arthritic hip and knee conditions, total joint reconstruction, arthroscopy and trauma. After earning his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, he completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at St. Francis Regional Medical Center in affiliation with the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita.
“Patients should come to OrthoKansas, whether they’re local or regional, because the people we have here are high-quality and excellent physicians, every one of them,” he said. “We have a nursing staff and staff in the therapy department that’s as good as it can be and we hope people come here knowing that and we’ll do the best we can for them.”

As he was growing up in Lawrence, Dr. Jon Heeb felt a tug toward medicine.  
“I was in junior high when I began thinking I wanted to become a medical missionary. I had a calling to care for people,” he said. “My grandfather gently talked me out of that, telling me that I had a beautiful community in Lawrence and there were a lot of people who needed help here. That resonated with me.” 
Dr. Heeb earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. It wasn’t until medical school that he really understood urology as a specialty, and he found that it fit his personality. 
“I’m a surgeon at heart, meaning that I like to be active in care, doing things and helping to solve problems.” 
After earning his medical degree, Dr. Heeb completed a surgical internship at St. Luke’s Hospital and specialty training in urological surgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center.  
“Kidney stones are a big part of my practice. Many people have them and need help sooner rather than later – it can’t wait. We deal with a lot of bladder and urinary problems. I also have a special interest in women’s health, especially when it comes to prolapse and bladder issues.” 
Dr. Heeb understands that urological problems are very personal, and it can be hard to talk about them with a stranger. He wants his patients to know that he’s ready to listen. 
“One of the most important parts of getting a diagnosis is listening to my patients, understanding their problem and how it’s affecting their life. A lot of my patients come in and think they’re the only one in the world with this problem, and that’s just not true. I want you to know that you're not alone.” 

Becoming a physician is something that Ryan Didde knew he wanted to do since he was young. He found inspiration close to home.
“My grandfather was a general practitioner and I was inspired by him. He passed away from a urologic related cancer, and that piqued my interest in urology as a specialty.”
Dr. Didde earned his undergraduate degree from Creighton University and his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He completed his urology residency at the Creighton University School of Medicine.
“The medical conditions that I treat in urology are things that impact people every day. When I can make a difference in their lives, it’s really meaningful.”
He wants patients to know that they can receive the whole spectrum of care, right here in Lawrence. 
“It can be intimidating to go to a large center and wonder how it will be versus coming to a place that you know and can really feel comfortable. I’ll listen to you and address your specific concerns. I find that explaining to you what’s going on can be the most important thing to help us move forward with the treatment that’s best for you.”

“I don’t think you can go anywhere and get better care from the cardiologists and the nurses and technicians than you can at the LMH Health Heart Center. Most of us have quite a few years of experience, but most of my partners don’t have as much grey hair as I do,” Dr. Michael Zabel says with a smile.
Dr. Zabel earned his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine, and completed his residency and fellowship training in cardiology at Duke University. 
“I enjoy treating heart failure patients, those with ischemic heart disease and valvular heart disease, which we’re seeing more of because it tends to be age-related,” he said. “I want my patients to know not to worry too much about this. We can treat almost everything.”
Dr. Zabel is a Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography and is board certified in cardiovascular disease. 

Ryan Xiao, MD, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and his medical degree at Harvard Medical School. He completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery at Harvard Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
“Growing up, I played tennis and swam. I have had my fair share of orthopedic injuries and understand what it is like to be a patient. One of the reasons I chose to go into medicine was because I wanted to help people and to see it improve their lives.”
Xiao specializes in non-surgical and minimally invasive surgical treatment of the upper extremities, including treatment of arthritic disorders of the hand, wrist, and elbow; repair of fractures and ligaments; nerve reconstructions; and microvascular surgeries.
“What I enjoy most is watching my patients’ recovery and getting back to doing what they love.”

Dr. Conklin graduated with distinction from the University of Kansas with a degree in Human Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He earned his medical degree from Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Conklin then completed his general surgery residency at Doctors Hospital and Grant Medical Center in Columbus, OH with subspecialty training at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. After residency, he completed a fellowship in minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery, with emphasis in advanced GI and bariatric cases at Sinai Hospital and Northwest Hospital in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Conklin is a board-certified general surgeon, a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).
Dr. Conklin and his wife, Larisa, live in Lawrence with their children and dogs. They enjoy being very active in the community and their church, Corpus Christi Catholic Church. He is very involved with his children’s activities and is a coach for several of their youth sports teams. When time allows, Dr. Conklin and his wife enjoy traveling as a family to a few destinations yearly.

“Being in a supportive community, such as Lawrence, makes a huge difference when it comes to giving our athletes the best chance at success. When the community rallies around our schools, our athletes and students are given the opportunity to flourish in life.”
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Kaarin Hoogstraten earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Kansas and a masters in applied science with a concentration in human movement science from Concordia University-Chicago. Kaarin serves as the athletic trainer at Free State High School. She also provides athletic training services to the club and recreation teams for KU through The University of Kansas Health System.
“Free State was the first and last rotation I ever had as an athletic training student at KU, and I am so excited to be able to give back to the school that helped me realize I wanted to be a high school athletic trainer.”
Prior to joining LMH Health OrthoKansas, Kaarin worked for Children’s Mercy providing athletic training services to schools in both Missouri and Kansas, as well as working in an orthopedic clinic setting.

Sara Jones, APRN, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas School of Nursing and graduated from the University of Central Missouri with a Master of Science in Nursing. She has been nominated for two DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing.
“I went into breast care because of my grandmother’s fight against breast cancer. It is important to me to take care of patients  with serious illnesses and support them through challenging times.”
Jones began her career working at the University of Kansas Health System’s Heart Center before completing her master’s degree.
“The thing I enjoy most about being an APRN is getting to know my patients as a whole and following them through their journey. I want my patients to be comfortable and know that I am there for them.”

Dr. Chad Tate was a valedictorian of his high school class. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in accounting. He earned a CPA license working for Price Waterhouse in Dallas. After completing a science curriculum at the University of Texas in Austin, he earned his medical degree from the University of Texas – Southwestern in Dallas. He then completed his surgical internship and residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, a Level I trauma and major transplant center. He is a board-certified general surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. 
At LMH Health, he serves as the chairman of the cancer committee and led the effort to achieve Commission on Cancer accreditation. Currently, he is also serving as the Chief of the Surgery Department. 
Dr. Tate co-instructs a course about healthcare policy and medical ethics for the University of Kansas Honors program.
Dr. Tate has many surgical interests, including a passion for minimally invasive surgery and surgical oncology. He received extensive laparoscopic training during his residency, followed later by robotic surgical training in 2011. He began performing robotic surgery at LMH Health in 2013.
“Our entire group is committed to good outcomes and doing the right thing for each patient. There are many things that contribute to excellent care: medical knowledge, effective communication, technical excellence and compassion. All of these things contribute to good outcomes and patient experiences. We often encounter people during a difficult time of their life, often marked by discomfort and fear. Hopefully (and usually!), there is an opportunity to restore them to better health and let their story continue. That opportunity is both a great responsibility and privilege.”
He is passionate about rural living, including preservation of native prairie, riding American Quarter horses and wood working – beginning from the moment a fallen tree is discovered. Dr. Tate enjoys cycling.  He was born and raised in southwest Kansas (Garden City). His father was a farmer and rancher and his Grandfather Tate was a district court judge who presided over the Clutter trial.
 

Dr. Brooks is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology.  He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he completed his residency training in internal medicine.  He completed a Fellowship in general internal medicine at the University of Kansas and a Fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.  He is a member of the American Gastroenterology Association and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 

Kara Joice, PA-C, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and her master’s degree from Wichita State University.
“I want my patients to be informed of the different treatments and options available to them and make sure they chose the decision that is right for them.”
Kara chose LMH Health because of the level of care and highly-qualified physicians who work for the hospital. Being a community hospital, she believes her patients will love the familial feel and care LMH Health provides.
She is a board-certified physician’s assistant and has been with LMH Health since 2009. Kara worked in the Emergency Department and at OrthoKansas before joining the team at Lawrence GI Consultants in 2021.

She is a board-certified internist and Gastroenterologist, and she focuses her practice exclusively on gastroenterology.  She completed her medical degree, residency and fellowship training at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Dr. Klingler was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas. He earned his medical degree at the University of Kansas, then completed a one-year surgical internship at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. He completed his urology training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and practiced urology in Dallas until he moved back to Kansas and joined Lawrence Urology Specialists. 

Kelli Crabtree-Wilson, MD, earned her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from Lehigh University, a Masters of Health Science from The Johns Hopkins University and a Doctor of Medicine from the University Of Kansas School Of Medicine. Crabtree-Wilson was the first female to graduate from the Kansas University Neurosurgery residency program. She is a member of the American Board of Neurological Surgery, Congress of Neurological Surgery and the Midwest Neurosurgery Society.
“I chose to become a Neurosurgeon at a very young age after my grandmother suffered a stroke and ended up needing extensive rehabilitation. This sparked my interest in the neuro-system and its ability to heal itself in certain areas.”
Crabtree-Wilson began her career working in neurosurgical care. She specializes in minimally invasive treatment of degenerative disorders of the spine and traumatic and benign neoplastic disorders of the brain and spine.
“My favorite thing about being a physician is being able to help somebody at one of the most difficult times or a crisis point in their lives which is limiting their actives and being able to get them on the road to recovery.”

Dr. Douglass Stull knew from the time he was in sixth grade that being a physician was his calling.
“I had a science class and the teacher had to go on emergency leave. The substitute really only new anatomy & physiology, so we were taught some basics and I completely fell in love. I knew right then that I wanted to be a physician.”
Dr. Stull earned his medical degree from the University of Texas School of Medicine and completed his fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with special interests in all aspects of shoulder and elbow care, including sports injuries, trauma, joint replacement and joint reconstruction.
Dr. Stull was also on the U.S. national team in Modern Pentathlon, competing at the Olympic level, and continues to be involved with the pentathlon by serving on their international medical committee. He also provides collegiate sports medicine coverage to Division I athletes as a team physician for the University of Kansas.
What advice does he have for his patients?
“Get out there and move. Think about what you can do, not what you can’t when you face an injury or disability.”

Dr. Riggs joined Lawrence OB-GYN in 2013.  She earned her medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 2009.  She then completed postgraduate residency training in OB-GYN at the Exempla St. Joseph Hospital, Denver, Colorado, in 2013.

Dr. Underwood grew up in Oklahoma and earned a bachelor's degree in health and sports science in 2000 at the University of Oklahoma, where she was an Academic All-American in golf. She completed her medical degree at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City in 2006. Dr. Underwood finished her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2010 and joined the staff at Austin Regional Clinic in Austin, Texas. She joined Lawrence OB-GYN in 2014 and is Board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Logan Kracht, MD, earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. Prior to joining the LMH Health team, Kracht worked for the Women’s Clinic of Johnson County-Olathe.
Kracht enjoys performing minimally invasive surgeries and getting his patients back to their daily life as quickly as possible. He is board-certified and is a member of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Kracht enjoys spending his time away from work spending time with his wife and children and playing outside, going to the pool, playing board games and fishing. 

Hemil Maniar, MD, completed his orthopaedic spine surgery fellowship from Northwestern University and an orthopaedic trauma surgery fellowship from the University of Louisville. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society, Lumbar Spine Research Society and the Orthopaedic Trauma Association.
Dr. Maniar describes himself as easy-going and family-oriented. He enjoys spending time outdoors or watching movies.
“I really like to fix things around the house. Sometimes I do a really good job at it and other times I have to call in the experts.”
Dr. Maniar completed his orthopedic training in India before deciding to move to the United States to complete two-fellowships to specialize in orthopedic spine surgery and orthopedic trauma surgery.
“I realized that I wanted to learn more about how to help patients with complex fractures and spine issues,” Dr. Maniar explained. “The orthopedic trauma came naturally to me, as I really enjoy working with my hands and fixing things that are broken. However, what drew me to spine was the knowledge that a lot of people in the community do not know that they can return to routine daily lives with appropriate treatment.”
After working at a busy Level I hospital in Central Pennsylvania, he relocated to Lawrence with his wife and son.  His clinical interests include both non-operative and operative treatment of conditions such as cervical disc herniation, lumbar disc herniation, degenerative spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, radiculopathy, myelopathy, spinal cord compression, spinal deformity, spinal trauma, etc. with conventional and minimally invasive surgery as well as upper and lower extremity fractures and dislocations.
One of Dr. Maniar’s favorite parts of being a physician is the ability to meet people from diverse backgrounds, learning from them about their lives and working with them to provide personalized care. He believes that taking a cookie-cutter approach to treatment can lengthen and limit recovery.
“I value the trust my patients place in me by coming to me. I want them to know that I will do everything I can to solve their problems while being honest about the treatments available to them.”

Dr. Holman joined Lawrence OB-GYN Specialists in 2015.  She worked in her hometown of Junction City, Kansas for 5 years before coming to Lawrence.  She earned her medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 2005 before completing a four-year obstetrics and gynecology residency at Maricopa Medical Center/St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona.