TAMPA, FL, UNITED STATES, January 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — With surgical robotics advancing faster than ever and the boundaries between technology and medicine blurring in extraordinary ways, Dr. Sharona Ross, MD, FACS stands at the forefront of this medical revolution, blending surgical mastery with an unwavering commitment to patient care and progress. As the 2024 President of the Society of Robotic Surgery, the 2025 President of the Society of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeons (SLS), and current Chair of Telepresence for the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), Dr. Ross is actively shaping the evolving future of surgery, focusing on minimally invasive, robotic, and digitally connected techniques for complex abdominal conditions.
Trained in every aspect of surgery (except for brain and orthopedic procedures), Dr. Ross has developed deep expertise in Foregut and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) surgery. Her daily practice encompasses the entire “gut spectrum from the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel to the pancreas, biliary tree, adrenals, and abdominal sarcomas. “My specialty covers everything from benign and malignant diseases and disorders of the upper GI tract to pancreas and biliary system,” Dr. Ross explains. “These are areas where robotic and minimally invasive techniques can make a profound difference in patient outcomes.”
But what truly distinguishes Dr. Ross is her relentless pursuit of surgical advancement, not for technology’s sake, but for better patient recovery and survival. “I perform virtually all of my operations robotically,” she states. “Gone are the days of large incisions and extended hospital stays. With minimally invasive robotic surgery, we see faster recoveries, less pain, and fewer complications. In fact, I haven’t needed to perform an open operation in years thanks to the evolution of chemotherapy and surgical technology.”
Dr. Ross is uniquely positioned as an early adopter and innovator in single-port robotic surgery, having obtained an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the FDA that enables her to convert complex Foregut and HPB operations to single-incision procedures. Supported by Intuitive Surgical, the company behind the da Vinci robot, Dr. Ross is at the cutting edge of adapting new robotic platforms for advanced abdominal surgeries. “We moved from open, to multi-incision, and now to single-port operations,” she explains. “This is where the field is heading, and our IDE allows us to demonstrate both safety and effectiveness, paving the way for larger studies and, ultimately, broader patient access.”
Her leadership extends far beyond her own operating room. Dr. Ross sits on the global advisory board of Intuitive Surgical, helping to guide industry development in ways that prioritize both innovation and patient safety. As robotic and digital surgery accelerate, she works closely with her colleagues to ensure that surgeons remain central in setting standards for care, data sharing, and ethical technology integration.
Her leadership extends far beyond her own operating room. Dr. Ross sits on the global advisory board of Intuitive Surgical, helping to guide industry development in ways that prioritize both innovation and patient safety. As robotic and digital surgery accelerate, she works closely with her colleagues to ensure that surgeons remain central in setting standards for care, data sharing, and ethical technology integration.
“While technology advances rapidly, we cannot lose sight of the human element,” she asserts. “We’re actively involved in writing consensus guidelines and participating in multidisciplinary meetings. The goal is to ensure that surgical data and new tools are used wisely and safely, and that patients always come first.” Through SAGES, where she chairs the new Telepresence Task Force, Dr. Ross is also helping formalize best practices for real-time remote collaboration, mentoring, and even tele-surgery, where surgical expertise can be shared across continents at the touch of a button.
Dr. Ross believes strongly that the future of surgery must be shaped by those who care for patients, not solely by technology companies. “If we as surgeons and clinicians don’t engage fully, the direction of innovation might be set by engineers who don’t always appreciate the nuances of patient care. We’re making sure that ethical considerations and quality are not afterthoughts, they’re built-in from the beginning.”
As digital surgery, artificial intelligence, and global surgical connectivity become more prominent, Dr. Ross continues to advocate for physician leadership, robust data standards, and responsible technology adoption. Her efforts to reduce surgical trauma, accelerate patient recovery, and improve survival in complex abdominal cancers are not only reshaping both patient lives but the broader field.
For Dr. Ross, the next few years will see even more integration of robotics, AI, and data-driven decision-making in the operating room, with new frontiers in telepresence and digital surgery opening access and expertise worldwide. “We’re at an exciting juncture,” she adds. “The only way to ensure the safest, most effective future for surgical patients is through direct clinician involvement, rigorous standards, and a clear focus on real-world outcomes.”
Stay tuned as Dr. Sharona Ross and her colleagues at the Society of Robotic Surgery and SAGES continue to lead the evolution of surgery, making 2026 a time to watch for every patient, provider, and technologist invested in the future of medicine.
About Dr. Sharona Ross, MD, FACS
Dr. Sharona Ross is a board-certified general surgeon specializing in Foregut and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) robotic surgery. Based in Tampa, Florida, she has performed over a thousand of advanced robotic procedures and is recognized internationally for her contributions to minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Ross is the immediate past president of the Society of Robotic Surgery, the 2025 President of the Society of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeons (SLS), chair of the Telepresence Task Force at SAGES, an advisory board member for Intuitive Surgical, and founder of the Women in Surgery Career Symposium this coming February 6 and 7, 2026. She is dedicated to advancing surgical technology while prioritizing patient outcomes, safety, and ethical leadership in the field.
Close Up Radio recently featured Sharona Ross, MD, FACS, in an interview with Jim Masters on Monday January 12th at 9am Eastern
Listen to the Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-up-radio-welcomes-back-dedicated-surgeon-dr-sharona/id1785721253?i=1000745092273
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-close-up-radio-242020413/episode/close-up-radio-welcomes-back-dedicated-317260579/
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2plfGsE20lIKUHAb47tntN
For more information about Sharona Ross, MD, FACS, please visit https://women-in-surgery.com/faculty/ and https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inner-circle-acknowledges-sharona-b-194600540.html
Lou Ceparano
Close Up Television & Radio
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