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The Medical Library is excited to announce the launch of the new quarterly Clinical Innovation Series. This series will serve as a forum for exploring how evidence-based medicine translates from innovative research into state-of-the-art patient care at SMHCS.
Please join us in person for our inaugural event which will feature an open panel discussion on: Robotic Surgery – featuring the da Vinci Surgical System.
The discussion will be led by Dr. John Nora with our own SMHCS’s expert panel including:
Dr. John Nora, MD, FACS - Moderator and Panelist
Dr. John Nora is a board-certified general surgeon with the First Physicians Group at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH), where he previously served as chief of general and vascular surgery. A pioneer in the field, Dr. Nora is highly experienced in da Vinci robot-assisted surgery. He has performed over 1,500 da Vinci robot-assisted surgeries. Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Nora is a dedicated educator, actively training other surgeons in these cutting-edge techniques. His commitment to innovation has significantly improved patient outcomes in bariatric, colon, and hernia procedures.
Dr. Blair Marshall, MD - Panelist
Dr. M. Blair Marshall is a highly accomplished, board-certified thoracic surgeon. She specializes in minimally invasive robotic techniques for complex thoracic procedures of both benign and malignant thoracic pathology. As a principal investigator for the single port robot, she performed the first single port thymectomy in the U.S. Dr. Marshall is an accomplished author of hundreds of publications and has presented her work nationally and internationally.
Dr. Marshall in the News: SMH oncology specialists use 3D images to improve outcomes for cancer patients
Dr. Robert Carey, MD, PhD, FACS - Panelist
Dr. Robert Carey is a board-certified urologic surgeon and a pioneer in robotic surgery at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH). Since joining SMH in 2006, he has performed over 2,000 robotic surgeries, specializing in treating prostate cancer, kidney cancer, and female pelvic floor reconstruction.
Dr. Carey received the Distinguished Physician Research & Innovation Award at the 2025 Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute Awards for his commitment to advancing research.
Aaron Carlton, PA-C - Panelist
Aaron Carlton, is a certified Physician Assistant with extensive experience across multiple surgical specialties, at First Physicians Group (FPG) and Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH). In his clinical role, he acts as a da Vinci robotic first assist, mastering a balance between advanced surgical proficiency and direct patient care. He mentors medical staff on the operation of complex surgical systems and leads the development and execution of the multidisciplinary Robotic First Assist & Troubleshooting curriculum at SMH.
Expand Your Knowledge
Friedman G. Robotics for Acute Care in Colorectal Surgery. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2021;34(5):328-333. doi:10.1055/s-0041-1726448
Gage D, Neilson T, Pino MG, Eiferman D, Knight-Davis J. Establishment of a 24/7 robotic acute care surgery program at a large academic medical center. Surg Endosc. 2024;38(8):4663-4669. doi:10.1007/s00464-024-11036-x
Garrett Friedman, Katherine Specht. Robotic Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery With da Vinci Single-Port Platform and Single-Port Access Port. Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. 2025;68:e1783-e1787. doi:10.1097/dcr.0000000000003852
Marshall MB, Wee JO, Soukiasian HJ, et al. Initial Evaluation of the Safety and Performance of Single-Port Robotic-Assisted Thymectomy Through a Subxiphoid Incision. The Annals of thoracic surgery. 2025;119(5):1099-1106. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2024.11.022