Ralph A. Yates, D.O. is a family and sports medicine physician in NE Portland and was the founder of Columbia Family Medical Associates, P.C. prior to joining The Portland Clinic.  He serves as the Team Physician for the Portland Winterhawks of the Canadian Hockey League as well as for the University of Portland men's & women's athletic teams.

In addition to his family practice, Dr. Yates has an active sports medicine practice involving the management of competitive and recreational athletes.  He has a comprehensive understanding of the needs of athletes having competed in elite level athletics himself, including successfully completing seven Ironman competitions.

Dr. Yates also has a personal and professional interest in asthma, diabetes, osteoporosis and the physiology of athletic performance and has given over 200 presentations to medical professionals regarding these and other medical subjects.  He was a recipient of the American Diabetes Association's Award for Outstanding Community Service in Raising Funds in 2000 for his work with Summit to Surf, an ADA cycling event, which Dr. Yates founded in 1995 and which raised over $315,000 for diabetes in 2006.

With a deep commitment to serving his community, Dr. Yates serves as vice chair for the Oregon Board of Medicine, is on the Board of Directors of Mt. Hood Community College and is the chairman of the ADA's Research Foundation Board of Directors.  He is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at Western University of Health Science in Pomona, CA and a Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine at OHSU in Portland.  After graduating from the United States Coast Guard Academy, he received his medical degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri.