For more than 36 years, Dr. Ray Duffett played a vital behind-the-scenes role in the success of Youngstown State student-athletes serving as a long-time team physician and orthopedic surgeon. He is being inducted into the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2025 as a contributor.
Duffett cared for and treated Youngstown State student-athletes from late 1988 to early 2025. His primary purpose working with the YSU Athletic Training staff was the health and well-being of all YSU student-athletes.
He worked with many coaches, staff members and numerous dedicated athletic trainers throughout his tenure of caring for Penguin student-athletes. He was also an adjunct faculty member at Youngstown State for many years.
Duffett’s practice, University Orthopaedics, which he co-founded along with fellow YSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Dr. Michael Miladore, in the late-1980’s, was always on the cutting edge of the newest medical procedures and YSU benefited greatly. They provided procedures for student-athletes in all sports at YSU. They were on the field for all football games and had an important presence at all men’s and women’s home basketball contests throughout the years.
An important figure in the community, he also provided services to many others while earning accolades for his service.
From 1988 to 2005, he was the team physician for Austintown Fitch High School and from 1983-86, served in the same capacity for Shaker Heights High School.
A past member of the Board of Trustees of the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, he was Medical School representative to the University of Cincinnati Athletic Council (1981-82), served as instructor for the National Orthopaedic Residents Program-Total Knee Replacements (1995) and in 1985, was named team physician for the OHSAA sectional and regional football playoff games, played at both Finney Stadium in Berea and at the Akron Rubber Bowl.
A noted researcher with a reputation as cutting edge when it comes to knee and ligament care, he remains in demand as a presenter at clinics as he continues to share his new ideas and research findings.
Among the many awards he has received, he was named Ohio’s Outstanding Team Physician by the Ohio State Medical Association/Ohio High School Athletic Association in 2007. In 2018, he was inducted into the Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame. He was named 2020 Distinguished Physician by the Mahoning Valley Medical Society (MVMS).
From 2007-09, he served as President of the Ohio Orthopaedic Society (a statewide position) and from 2009-15, was on the Board of Councilors for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, a national post.
A former athlete who played various sports during his formative years, Duffett was a standout football player for Canfield, later starring collegiately at VMI. He served as the quarterback for the Keydets from 1975-78. He graduated No. 2 in his class, earning his undergraduate degree in biology.
After his junior year he was accepted into the University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine, earning his Medical degree in 1982.
Ranked in the upper-third of his graduating class, he did his surgical internship (July 1, 1982 to June 30, 1983) at the University of Cleveland and his orthopaedic surgery residency (July 1, 1983, to June 30, 1987) at University Hospitals of Cleveland.
From July 1987 to June 1988, he was a Sports Medicine Fellow with Orthopaedic Consultants of Cincinnati, Inc. (Christ Hospital, Bone and Joint Institute located in Cincinnati), assisting with the care of both Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals’ athletes.
Duffett and his wife, Shelley, who is an orthopaedic nurse, moveed to the Winston-Salem, N.C. this past summer. They are the parents of three children; sons Andrew and Ross, and daughter Dane.
He recently started a position as Assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.
