PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Michael D. Stifelman

Also known as Michael Stifelman

Michael Stifelman is a urologist whose research connects robotic surgery with machine-learning analysis of surgical performance. He earned his medical degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, trained in urology at Columbia Presbyterian, and completed an endourology and laparoscopy fellowship at Weill Cornell. His 2009 study compared robot-assisted with laparoscopic partial nephrectomy at three academic centers. At Hackensack, he directed robotic surgery as the hospital reached 1,000 single-port procedures in 2023; the department adopted the da Vinci 5 and evaluated an AI prostate-cancer test in 2024, and its team used machine learning to study surgical video in 2025. As of October 2026, he is Chair of Urology and Director of Robotic Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center and Professor and Founding Chair of Urology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

Now at
Hackensack University Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Born
1967
Works
337
Citations
6,707
h-index
43

Years link to their sources. Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1999–2000

    Medical and surgical training

    He earns his medical degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completes urology residency at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University in 1999. He completes a fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in 2000, with endourology and laparoscopy training at Weill Cornell Medical Center.

  2. 2009

    Comparing kidney surgery

    In 2009, he coauthors a multi-institutional comparison of robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for kidney tumors. The study examines operations at three academic centers from 2004 to 2008 and reports lower blood loss and shorter hospital stays in the robotic group.

  3. 2016

    Joining Hackensack

    In 2016, he joins HackensackUMC after serving at NYU Langone as professor of urology at NYU School of Medicine, director of its Robotic Surgery Center, and chief of Urology Services at Tisch Hospital.

  4. 2018–March 2023

    1,000 single-port procedures

    Hackensack University Medical Center gains access to the da Vinci single-port system in 2018 and performs its 1,000th single-port robotic procedure in March 2023. Stifelman directs robotic surgery for Hackensack Meridian Health Network.

  5. 2024

    Adopting the da Vinci 5

    Hackensack's Department of Urology adopts the da Vinci 5 in 2024. The platform lets surgeons quantify and segment procedures.

  6. October 2024

    Evaluating ArteraAI

    In October 2024, Hackensack urology researchers receive a grant to evaluate ArteraAI's estimate of prostate-cancer aggressiveness after surgery. The test combines biopsy-slide images with clinical data, and Stifelman says Hackensack is the first center in the country to evaluate the AI technology.

  7. December 2025

    Machine learning in surgery

    In December 2025, Hackensack's Urology team uses machine learning to analyze surgical-video steps alongside hundreds of operative performance indicators. Its analysis identifies steps and instrument measures linked to erectile-function preservation, and residents and fellows receive objective training feedback.

  8. As of October 2026

    Chair and robotic surgery director

    As of October 2026, he serves as Chair of Urology and Director of Robotic Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center, and as Professor and Founding Chair of Urology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

Career

  1. Since 2021Hackensack Meridian School of MedicineProfessor and Chair of Urology
  2. Since 2016Hackensack University Medical CenterChair of Urology and Director of Robotic Surgery
  3. Until 2016New York University School of MedicineDirector
  4. 2001–2016NYU Langone HealthProfessor of Urology; Director of the Robotic Surgery Center; Chief of Urology Services at Tisch Hospital
  5. 2001–2016New York UniversityProfessor of Urology
  6. 1997–1999Columbia University
  7. Hackensack Meridian Health NetworkDirector of Robotic Surgery

Education

  1. 2000New York-Presbyterian HospitalFellowship
  2. 1999New York-Presbyterian HospitalUrology residency
  3. Albert Einstein College of MedicineMedical degree
  4. Weill Cornell MedicineEndourology and laparoscopy fellowship

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Most-cited works

  1. Robot Assisted Partial Nephrectomy Versus Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Tumors: A Multi-Institutional Analysis of Perioperative Outcomes2009 · The Journal of Urology · 526 citations
  2. A Prospective, Blinded Comparison of Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging–Ultrasound Fusion and Visual Estimation in the Performance of MR-targeted Prostate Biopsy: The PROFUS Trial2013 · European Urology · 398 citations
  3. Changes in Renal Function Following Nephroureterectomy May Affect the Use of Perioperative Chemotherapy2010 · European Urology · 289 citations
  4. Trifecta and optimal perioperative outcomes of robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy in surgical treatment of small renal masses: a multi‐institutional study2014 · British Journal of Urology · 210 citations
  5. Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy: Initial Experience2006 · The Journal of Urology · 175 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 21 October 2026.

  1. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labsIncludes New York University. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, recent citations, dual appointments and job moves across 2,420 university researchers and 308 frontier-lab researchers.
  2. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes New York University. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  3. Companies supply the most prior-work hires at 7 of the 9 frontier AI labsIncludes New York University. Our estimates of the organizations where 550 people worked directly before joining 9 frontier AI labs across 620 career transitions, comparing the main feeder organizations per lab.
  4. 20% of people at companies who shape AI also hold a university role, led by Google and Stanford UniversityIncludes New York University. We estimate that 539 of the 6,766 people with a known current organization (8%) hold both a university role and a company role, including 20% of people at companies and 13% of people at universities.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Michael D. Stifelman yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Michael D Stifelman, MD Reconstructive Urology, Urologic Oncology in Hackensack, NJ getcare.hackensackmeridianhealth.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Michael Stifelman en.wikipedia.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Robot assisted partial nephrectomy versus laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for renal tumors: a multi-institutional analysis of perioperative outcomes. scholars.duke.edu. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center Performs 1,000th Single-Port Robotic Procedure - More Than Any Other Hospital in the Country hackensackmeridianhealth.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Harnessing the Power of AI for Better Urological Surgery Outcomes hackensackmeridianhealth.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. John Theurer Cancer Center First in the Country to Evaluate New AI Technology Assessing Aggressiveness of Prostate Cancer Post Surgery hackensackmeridianhealth.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. From Robotics to Reconstruction: Hackensack Urology to Unveil Diverse, Cutting-Edge Research at AUA 2026 hackensackmeridianhealth.org. Checked 21 October 2026.