Dr. Kates serves as the James and Frances McGlothlin Professor and Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. In this role, he leads a Department of 50 outstanding orthopedic surgeons and physicians, 25 orthopedic residents and four orthopaedic fellows.

Education: Dr. Kates is a graduate of Northwestern University undergraduate school, Northwestern University Medical School and served in the Northwestern University General Surgery residency program. In 1986, he relocated to the University of Rochester for orthopaedic residency training.

Practice: He practiced orthopedic surgery in Rochester until 2015 when he relocated to Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Kates served at the University of Rochester Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation as the Hanjoerg Wyss Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. He also served as associate director of the Center for Musculoskeletal Research, where he continues to hold an adjunct faculty appointment.

Leadership activities: Dr. Kates is a global and national thought leader in Geriatric Fracture Care. He is the original developer of the Geriatric Fracture Center Model of Care and have studied this model since 2004. This program has shown markedly better outcomes in quality and safety. The program has inspired hundreds of hospitals to emulate it in the US, UK, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Dr Kates has also originated the AO Geriatric Fracture Management physician course in 2005. This is a globally offered continuing education course that has helped educate practicing physicians and surgeons across the globe about the importance of high-quality patient centered, co-managed, standardized health care for older patients with a fracture. He has served as the founding president of the International Geriatric Fracture Society. Dr. Kates is also the editor emeritus of Geriatric Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, a journal focused on the improvement of care for older adults with orthopedic conditions.

Service: Dr. Kates serves as American Orthopaedic Association Own the Bone Committee chair. He is active in the AAOS and Orthopedic Trauma Association. He serves as Chair of the VCU IRB Clinical Trials Panel.

Research: Dr. Kates serves as the Principal Investigator for the AO Trauma CPP Bone Infection program project grant. This grant investigates bone infection with multiple Murine and human clinical projects. He is also a co-Principal Investigator for the National Institutes of Health P50 program grant on osteoimmunology, a grant that is shared between The University of Rochester and Virginia Commonwealth University. He serves as site PI for several other large national grants sponsored by PCORI and DoD.

Publications: Dr. Kates has published numerous book chapters, three large edited books, two monographs and over 170 peer-reviewed publications. He has lectured extensively in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and North America on numerous orthopedic topics including bone infection, geriatric orthopedic surgery, osteoporotic fracture care, and system of care improvement.

Personal life: When not occupied with professional activities, Dr. Kates enjoys spending time with his wife Amy Kates, RN, CNS, daughters Hailey Kates and Olivia Kates, MD, who is an attending physician in infectious disease at Johns Hopkins University. He enjoys reproducing period furniture and fixing cars.