Papers

5

Total Citations

120

H-Index

4

About

Nicole Lopez is a pioneering surgeon-researcher whose work centers on robotic surgery training and technical innovation in minimally invasive colorectal procedures. Her research addresses a critical gap in surgical education—how residents and attending surgeons adapt to robotic platforms. In her highly cited 2019 study (62 citations), she used qualitative analysis to uncover perceptions and challenges in general surgery training during the robotic era, providing foundational insights for curriculum design. She further explored the pivotal transition from bedside assistant to console surgeon, a study that has shaped how training programs structure progressive responsibility. On the technical side, Lopez has advanced operative techniques for complex colorectal surgeries. She described the largest cohort of robotic left-stapled total intracorporeal anastomosis (16 citations), demonstrating feasibility and outcomes for a procedure previously limited to small case series. Her work on multiquadrant robotic subtotal colectomy (16 citations) expanded the da Vinci Xi platform’s utility for extensive resections. By combining rigorous qualitative methods with detailed technical descriptions, Lopez bridges the gap between surgical education and innovation, directly influencing how next-generation surgeons are trained and how robotic systems are deployed for challenging abdominal procedures.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

4
H-Index
5
Papers
120
Total Citations
24
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
General surgery training in the era of robotic surgery: a qualitative analysis of perceptions from resident and attending surgeons
62 citations · 2019
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2019 (2 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 15
🏛 Institutions: University of California San Diego, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 13 days ago