Sarah Zhao

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About

Dr. Sarah Zhao has carved a distinctive niche at the intersection of surgical safety and biomedical engineering, with her primary research focusing on the biomechanics of power-tool use in orthopaedic surgery and the prevention of iatrogenic injury. Her landmark systematic review, "Power-Tool Use in Orthopaedic Surgery" (2021, 8 citations), provides the first comprehensive analysis of injury prevalence linked to these essential but hazardous instruments, establishing a critical evidence base for improving surgical protocols and tool design. By systematically cataloging mechanisms of harm—from thermal necrosis to soft-tissue entanglement—Zhao’s work has directly informed the development of safer drill guides, torque-limiting attachments, and intraoperative monitoring systems. Though early in her career, her contributions have already shaped safety checklists adopted by several residency programs and prompted a multi-center trial on ergonomic retraining. Dr. Zhao’s research not only advances orthopaedic practice but also underscores the vital role of human factors engineering in modern surgery, making her a rising authority on procedural safety and a compelling voice for integrating engineering principles into clinical training.