Leadership through Thoughtful Inclusivity: A Conversation with George Abraham, MD, MPH, MACP, FIDSA, FRCP
by ACOI
July 30, 2026
Accomplished physician, professor, and leader George Abraham, MD, MPH, MACP, FIDSA, FRCP, will be featured as the ACOI 2026 keynote speaker. Board-certified in both internal medicine and infectious disease medicine, Dr. Abraham is Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School; Chief of Medicine at Saint Vincent Hospital; Adjunct Professor at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; and Emeritus President of the American College of Physicians (ACP). Dr. Abraham is also a nationally and internationally invited speaker who consistently champions diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles.
His diverse career and unique experiences have made him the type of leader who values a thoughtful, questioning, and relationship-oriented approach. They have also informed his passion for inclusive leadership in medicine.
Originally from India, Dr. Abraham completed medical school and postgraduate training at the Christian Medical College in Vellore; after finishing residency, he joined the school's faculty for three years. His wife, who is originally from Singapore, was working in India as well. But due to dynamics beyond their control, she was unable to get licensed to work there. Moving to Singapore presented a similar problem: Dr. Abraham wouldn't be able to get into the practice system and rise in the ranks.
"Mid-career, we decided to move to another country where both of us could practice medicine," he said. "Both of us had done postgraduate training and were faculty members in our respective countries. That led us to apply to come to the U.S. and work here. Thirty-plus years later, that’s the best decision we’ve made."
This experience, both its positive outcome and the obstacles he faced, had a major influence on Dr. Abraham's interest in DEI and inclusivity. It led to a greater understanding of the challenges international medical students face, as well as a desire to solve those problems in a way that benefits the entire medical community.
His involvement in this work clearly reflects what Dr. Abraham says is his favorite definition of inclusivity, a quote from social commentator, author, and Harvard-trained lawyer Verna Myers: "Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance." This is important to him because, "We can invite people to participate, but how do we make them feel engaged?"
Dr. Abraham's pursuit of inclusivity is inherently tied to the way he views physician-patient relationships. "We have patients who straddle different ethnicities, different socioeconomic statuses, linguistic backgrounds, viewpoints,” he said. “To look at all those is the only way to relate better to patients. They tend to trust us more, listen to what we tell them, and make informed decisions. When they are partners with us in their care, they do better than when we talk down.”
His keynote session will focus on leadership. "It will be about principles on how to be an effective leader, so as to engage one's audience and patient community—how to be more effective in the work we do every day," he explained. “The point being, it's important to think outside the regular box of medicine. The best physicians are not necessarily academic superstars, but can speak well, relate well, and engage patients to feel they have entrusted their lives to the right professional."
It is a perspective that comes full circle in Dr. Abraham's understanding of the osteopathic philosophy, one that is also highly inclusive. "Having trained and lived in New England all my life in the U.S., we have a strong osteopathic community. I trained with DOs during residency, and half of my faculty are osteopathic physicians," he said. "We like the fact that they offer great strengths in terms of the osteopathic and whole-person philosophy. And their strengths in osteopathic manipulation. That's something I never learned, and I lean so much on my osteopathic colleagues to use that to augment other treatment options." In turn, they respect what he brings to the table from having trained in another part of the world. "What matters," he said, "is the common goal of providing excellent patient care." It's yet another example of an inclusive and relationship-oriented form of leadership, and a perspective that promises to be a positive and grounding highlight at ACOI 2026.