Colbey Ricklefs, MD

Dr. Colbey Ricklefs is an adolescent medicine specialist who cares for teenagers and young adults. He provides preventive and primary care as well as specialty care for concerns including eating disorders, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, substance use and other health issues that arise during adolescence and young adulthood. He also provides gender-affirming care and HIV prevention services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Ricklefs particularly enjoys helping young people navigate the transition from childhood to adulthood and become increasingly independent in their health care. His approach emphasizes listening without judgment, understanding what matters to each patient and partnering with patients and families to make health decisions that reflect their individual needs, identities and goals. His background in family medicine also shapes his commitment to caring for the whole person and understanding health within the broader context of a person's family, community and lived experiences.

In his research, Ricklefs focuses on ways to improve the health of adolescents and young adults, particularly those from sexual and gender diverse communities. Much of his work focuses on HIV prevention and improving access to PrEP, a highly effective medication for preventing HIV. He is especially interested in understanding why effective prevention tools do not always reach the people who could benefit from them and how health care can be designed around the needs and preferences of young people.

His research also examines health disparities affecting sexual and gender diverse people and other factors that shape adolescent health, including substance use and the social environments in which young people grow up. His goal is to translate research into health care and health policy that is more accessible, equitable and responsive to the lives of young people.

Ricklefs earned his medical degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He completed a residency in family medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in adolescent medicine at UCSF. He also earned a master’s degree in public health from Boston University School of Public Health.

Ricklefs was drawn to adolescent medicine because adolescence and young adulthood are periods of extraordinary growth, identity development and increasing independence. He considers it a privilege to care for young people as they begin making their own decisions about their health and their lives. He especially values creating a space where patients feel comfortable asking difficult questions and talking openly about topics they may not feel comfortable discussing elsewhere.

He has a particular commitment to improving health care for LGBTQ+ communities. His clinical, research and advocacy work has included gender-affirming care, HIV prevention and PrEP, and efforts to make health systems more inclusive and responsive to sexual and gender diverse patients. In 2025, UCSF recognized this work with the Chancellor Award for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Leadership.

In addition to caring for patients, Ricklefs also enjoys teaching and mentoring medical students, residents and fellows and helping clinicians become more comfortable caring for adolescents and discussing sensitive topics with their patients.

Outside of medicine, Ricklefs is an avid reader who shares his love of books online. He can also frequently be found searching for a good boba shop or keeping up with reality television.