Watch Webcast: Allison Lee, MD, MS joined us for “Advancing Maternal Health Equity – the Way Forward” at the Robert A. Abraham Endowed Lecture held on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
“Advancing Maternal Health Equity – the Way Forward”
Presented by:
Allison Lee, MD, MS
Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Critical Care,
Vice Chair for Equal Opportunity
Block Chief, Obstetric Anesthesia,
Obstetric Anesthesia Fellowship Program Director
University of Pennsylvania
Robert A. Abraham, MD
Robert A. Abraham, M.D. was born in Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor’s degree from Franklin and Marshall College, and his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He practiced general medicine in the Towson area for eight years before training in anesthesiology at the Baltimore City Hospital under Peter J. Safar, M.D. from 1959 to 1961.
Dr. Abraham worked in obstetric anesthesia private practice before becoming a full-time academic obstetric anesthesiologist. From 1964 to 1975, he worked for the Albany Medical Center in New York and joined the Johns Hopkins Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine in 1975. At Johns Hopkins, he was the first full-time Director of Obstetric Anesthesia, and was chosen as Teacher of the Year in 1985.
In 1987, he retired from Johns Hopkins Medicine. During his retirement, he became an accomplished cook and his library of cookbooks rivaled that of his medical texts. Dr. Abraham died February 3, 2005.
The Abraham Lectureship was established in 2000 by former colleagues and residents to recognize Dr. Abraham’s contributions and dedication to obstetric anesthesia education and patient safety, and to Johns Hopkins Medicine.