Stephen Kates named School of Medicine’s interim dean

By VCU News staff

Stephen Kates, M.D., a professor for a decade at Virginia Commonwealth University, will serve as the interim dean of the VCU School of Medicine and interim executive vice president of medical affairs for VCU Health System, effective Dec. 24.

Kates is professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the School of Medicine. Arturo Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., the current dean of the School of Medicine, will serve as VCU’s interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs starting on Dec. 24.

Marlon Levy, M.D., senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health System, called Kates “a proven leader with an impressive track record throughout his acclaimed career.”

“Dr. Kates is a highly regarded and results-oriented physician leader,” Levy said. “I am looking forward to him bringing his unparalleled passion and energy into this role. His leadership will continue to elevate the school’s distinguished research, clinical and educational missions.”

Prior to coming to VCU, Kates practiced orthopedic surgery in Rochester, New York, until 2015 when he relocated to Richmond. 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.

Kates is a global thought leader in geriatric fracture care. He is the original developer of the Geriatric Fracture Center Model of Care and has studied this model since 2004. This program, which has shown markedly better outcomes in quality and safety, has inspired hundreds of hospitals to emulate it in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

He also originated a globally offered continued 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 and was the founding editor-in-chief of Geriatric Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, a journal focused on the improvement of care for older adults with orthopedic conditions.

Kates serves as first vice president of the American Orthopaedic Association and will become president in May 2026. He also is active in the Orthopedic Trauma Association. He previously served as chair of the VCU IRB Clinical Trials Panel, and he serves on the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense study sections.

Kates was awarded the Salute to Service award by the Virginia Medical Society in 2021 and the Robert Irby award from the MCV Foundation in 2025.