Michelle De Sutter

Peoria campus of the University of Illinois System

Papers

Total Citations

132

H-Index

About

Michelle De Sutter is a leading figure in surgical education, with a focused expertise in robotic surgery training and ergonomics. Her major contributions center on developing and validating structured curricula to safely integrate robotic technology into general surgery residency programs. Her landmark 2019 paper, "A Standardized Robotic Training Curriculum in a General Surgery Program," with 92 citations, details a pioneering, long-standing curriculum at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, establishing a benchmark for systematic robotic education. Complementing this, her pilot study on ergonomic assessment of robotic surgeons (40 citations) addresses the critical, often-overlooked issue of surgeon well-being and performance, identifying physical stressors unique to robotic platforms. Through this work, De Sutter has not only advanced pedagogical standards but also highlighted the human factors essential for sustainable surgical practice. Her research directly informs how future surgeons are trained, ensuring both technical proficiency and long-term career health.