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Michael Palese, MD, Urology, New York, NY

Michael Palese MD

Minimally Invasive Surgery, Stone Disease, Kidney Transplantation, Surgical Oncology


Professor & Chair of Urology

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Overview of  Dr. Palese

Dr. Michael A. Palese leads the Department of Urology at Mount Sinai Downtown and is also the Vice Chairman of System Operations for the Mount Sinai Health System, as well as a Professor of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his medical degree from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His training includes a urology residency at the University of Maryland, a research year at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and a fellowship in robotic and laparoscopic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College.
As the Director of Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System, Dr. Palese focuses on diagnosing and treating diseases of the kidney, ureter, adrenal gland, bladder, and prostate, using robotic, laparoscopic, and endoscopic surgical techniques. He launched the robotic surgery program at Mount Sinai Medical Center in 2004, leading advancements in robotic procedures for kidney cancer, kidney stones, kidney transplant, and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Dr. Palese also established the Mount Sinai Downtown Men’s Health Center in New York City's Union Square.
He was the first within the Mount Sinai Health System to perform a variety of complex robotic surgeries, including donor nephrectomy, radical and partial nephrectomy, nephro-ureterectomy, adrenalectomy, and ureteral reconstruction. Notably, he performed the world’s first robotic single port donor nephrectomy and published research on this innovative procedure. Dr. Palese holds several patents for new surgical instruments and has authored numerous book chapters and over one hundred peer-reviewed articles and abstracts. Dedicated to education, he actively mentors students, residents, and fellows. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Saul Horowitz Jr Award in 2021, honoring exceptional physicians who advance teaching, research, or practice in medicine.

Education & Training

  • New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia and Cornell Campus)
    New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia and Cornell Campus)Fellowship, Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery, 2003 - 2004
  • University of Maryland
    University of MarylandResidency, Urology, 1999 - 2003
  • University of Maryland
    University of MarylandResidency, Surgery, 1997 - 1999
  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
    Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiClass of 1997
  • Cornell University
    Cornell UniversityBA, Biology, 1989 - 1993

Certifications & Licensure

  • NY State Medical License
    NY State Medical License 2003 - 2026
  • CA State Medical License
    CA State Medical License 2008 - 2021
  • CT State Medical License
    CT State Medical License 2012 - 2012
  • Urology
    American Board of Urology Urology

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • America's Top Doctor for Cancer Castle Connolly Medical LTD, 2014-2023
  • New York Magazine: Top Doctors Castle Connolly, 2011-2023
  • America's Top Doctors Castle Connolly, 2011-2023

Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Journal Articles

  • A Medical Application to Bridge the Gap between Clinicians and Clinical Data  
    Finkelstein M, Bilal KH, Palese M, Stud Health Technol Inform, 1/1/2015
  • Pulmonary embolus originating from renal vein stump thrombus after laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy: case report  
    Lubezky N, Stern EH, Nair V, Herron D, Chin E, Palese M, LaPointe Rudow D, Delaney V, Goldstein M, Florman S, Rocca JP, Transplant Proc, 1/1/2014
  • Genitourinary Resection at the Time of Cytoreductive Surgery and Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Is Not Associated with Increased Mor...  
    Leapman MS, Jibara G, Tabrizian P, Franssen B, Yang MJ, Romanoff A, Hall SJ, Palese M, Sarpel U, Hiotis S, Labow D, Ann Surg Oncol, 1/1/2014

Books/Book Chapters

Abstracts/Posters

  • 30-Year New York State Inpatient Urology Practice Trends.
    Mark Finkelstein, Khawaja Bilal, Rajiv Jayadevan, Kristian Stensland, Michael Palese, American Urological Association 2015, New Orleans, LA, 1/15/2015
  • Hospital utilization & travel patterns of inpatient urological patients in New York State: Have travel patterns changed since 1982?
    Khawaja Bilal, Mark Finkelstein, Rajiv Jayadevan, Michael Palese, American Urological Association 2015, New Orleans, LA, 1/15/2015
  • Comparison of transurethral resection of prostate, Plasma Button™ transurethral vaporization of prostate, Greenlight™ 180-W XPS photoselective vaporization of prostate...
    Rajiv Jayadevan, Kristin Stensland, Greogry Baldwin, Adnan Ali, Simon Hall, Michael Palese, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Surgical Therapy & New Technology II Moderated Poster, American Urological Association, Orlando, FL, 1/20/2014

Lectures

  • Invited Speaker: "Advances in Robotic Surgery: Hands on demonstration." 
    New York, NY - 1/25/2015
  • Invited Speaker & Visiting Professor: "Open, Laparoscopic and Robotic surgery for Prostate Cancer." 
    Vina del Mar, Chile - 1/21/2014
  • Invited Speaker & Visiting Professor: "Vaccine Therapy for Kidney Cancer" 
    Vina del Mar, Chile - 1/21/2014

Other

  • Video 5-14: Percutaneous gas-cooled microwave ablation for small renal masses: the Mount Sinai experience. 
    Michael Leapman, Rajiv Jayadevan, Courtney Phillips, Simon J. Hall, Michael A. Palese, Aaron M. Fischman, American Urological Association
    Orlando, FL - 1/19/2014
  • "Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy in 12 Steps." 
    Greg Gin, MD; Rajiv Jayadevan, BA; Matthew Goland-Van Ryn, MD; Kristian Stensland, BA; Daniel Herron, MD; Edward Chin, MD; Michael Palese, MD, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS), Minimally Invasive Robotic Association (MIRA) & Society
    Las Vegas, NV - 1/10/2014
  • "Laparoscopic Cryoablation of a Cystic Renal Mass in a Transplanted Kidney." 
    Greg Gin, MD; Jorge Pereira, MD; Courtney Phillips, MD; Michael Palese, MD, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS), Minimally Invasive Robotic Association (MIRA) & Society
    Las Vegas, NV - 1/10/2014

Authored Content

  • Single-Port Robotic Platform in Renal Transplantation: Is Transplantation Entering a New Minimally Invasive Era?May 2026
  • Can AI Do More Than Just Read Scans? Lessons We Learned From AUA 2025May 2025
  • AUA Highlights on Minimally Invasive Surgical Therapy (MIST) for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)May 2023

Press Mentions

  • Single-Port Robotic-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy: Initial Clinical Experience and Lessons Learned for Successful Outcomes
    Single-Port Robotic-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy: Initial Clinical Experience and Lessons Learned for Successful OutcomesJune 20th, 2020
  • 9 Weird Facts About Testicles Every Woman Needs to Know
    9 Weird Facts About Testicles Every Woman Needs to KnowMarch 1st, 2019
  • Ask Mount Sinai: Everything You Need to Know About Prostate Screening
    Ask Mount Sinai: Everything You Need to Know About Prostate ScreeningJune 4th, 2018

Professional Memberships

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna Choice POS II
    Aetna HMO
    BCBS Blue Card PPO
    Empire BCBS HMO
    Empire BCBS PPO
    First Health PPO
    GHI PPO
    Great West PPO
    HIP of New York - Select PPO
    Humana ChoiceCare Network PPO
    Multiplan PHCS PPO
    Multiplan PPO
    MVP Healthcare PPO
    Oxford Health Freedom
    Oxford Health Liberty
    Sagamore Health Plus
    United Healthcare - Direct Choice Plus POS
    United Healthcare - Direct Options PPO
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